Why We Write
Just Some Thoughts
I write for a variety of reasons, and I am sure that other Vocal Creators do as well. I am not sure whether my primary aim is to create something where there was once nothing or to connect with others through my creation. I certainly love connecting with others and love it when they are complimentary about my creations.
In this digital age and with the excellent Vocal Platforma and the various Facebook groups we have the opportunity to create, publish and share very quickly. I remember when I first wanted to write, it was a typewriter and paper, and if you wanted to publish anything it had either to be part of a magazine or joint publication or invest in a run of a thousand books which was very expensive if you didn't have a publisher.
Today I can write this article and share it with you, and you can look at it, agree with me, disagree with me and leave a comment, and then I can reply to you. Commenting has been a great addition to the Vocal model, but we also have it in the Facebook groups, and I discover a lot of stories in those groups.
My reading and writing are not limited to Vocal, and I still maintain my blog. Seven Days In, which these days is based on the books I am reading. Its form is very primitive but it does get a lot of visits (probably mostly from robots).
So I would love to know why you write and what is your main driver to write. With me, it is certainly not money, although the fact that Vocal has made me far more money than any other writing endeavour that I have embarked on is a nice bonus.
I love sharing my work, but sometimes there are things I have to write, either to purge dark feelings or to share happy events, and I do like to try out writing fiction and poetry though I am still not very good in those fields (that is my personal opinion and it does push me to keep trying and get better).
Thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts on why you write.
The video is one I made after visiting my friend Jessica's exhibition many years ago in Newcastle. The music is "Sequence C" by Tangerine Dream from their album "Phaedra"
According to legend, she was the daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë, and the wife of Theseus. Phaedra fell in love with her stepson Hippolytus. After he rejected her advances, she accused him of trying to rape her, causing Theseus to pray to Poseidon to kill him, and then killed herself.
About the Creator
Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred
A Weaver of Tales and Poetry
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More stories from Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred and writers in Writers and other communities.
What Really Matters To Me
Introduction I have not had a creative Vocal Top Story since mid-December, there was one promoted by the wonderful creators in Vocal * Voices in Minor (ViM), but that was from a prompt by them and then shared in a Vocal "Raise Your Voice" otherwise it would not have been a Top Story. The story with the share is here and I am thankful and grateful for it, my second public share on a Vocal thing.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 2 years ago in Writers
Rereading
I reread my favorite books, over and over again, for a very simple reason: I love the characters and enjoy spending time with them. Maybe I grieve their loss, maybe I bargain with the text: if I read you better this time, maybe Benji won’t die, maybe Manderly won’t burn, and maybe Lenny and George will get that piece of land and have something to call their own.
By Harper Lewis4 days ago in Writers
'20/20'
"Do It Again" the track that would ultimately open the Beach Boys final album on Capitol Records which was released on February 10th 1969 had originally been released as a single in August of 1968. The track was the first of many post-Pet Sounds era throwbacks to the early Beach Boys sound which would become continually more cliched and eventually lead the Beach Boys to the level of self-parody they would eventually succumb to in the 1980s while their closest contemporaries The Beatles nearing the end of their run in 1969 would go on to be viewed as the most influential band of all time. However, the song itself is not bad on its surface, and it opens with a futuristic sounding (for 1969) drumbeat captured by then-Beach Boys engineer Stephen Desper using tape delays on the drums performed by Dennis Wilson and John Guerin. The song has been re-recorded numerous times over the years on various Beach Boys-related projects most notably the 2011 re-recording at Capitol studios featuring the five surviving Beach Boys at the time backed instrumentally by various members of both the Brian Wilson Band and Mike Loves touring "Beach Boys" to promote the then upcoming Beach Boys 50th Anniversary reunion tour in 2012. The hammering and power drill sound at the end of the song was an excerpt from a track called "Workshop" that was to be a part of the uncompleted "SMiLE" album.
By Sean Callaghan6 days ago in Beat
Comments (12)
Writing gives me the chance to express myself in time that i cannot always get in anything else.
I write because I find expressing myself through writing to be very therapeutic. I sometimes write to live vicariously through them, or to help cope with emotional or simply because I couldn't stop thinking about something.
At first I thought the video was painting by Jessica. It took me a while to realize they were sculptures hanging in front of the walls. I write because I have to. There are stories that will drive me crazy if I just let them keep running through my head. (This is at least partly true. I'm not sure about other reasons.)
This is just to thank everyone for their comments, It has really expanded and opened up this [iece
I used to use my sisters typewriter when I was little. I remember my fingers used to slip when I'd attempt to write fast, causing them to get hurt when they slipped between the keys. And making a mistake was a disaster. There was only so many times you could go over the same letter before it became a big black smudge! I still loved it though and wished for one of my own.
I write because I love creating stories. Even as a kid, the worlds I created with my dolls were elaborate and filled with distinct characters and ongoing storylines. Being able to put those stories to paper and share them with others is so rewarding.
Writing has become a creative outlet, a healthy way to explore feelings for healing, and a written legacy for my family. Loved your story, Mike!!!♥️♥️💕
Why do I write? Well, a lot of the time, because it's my job. I've been a journalist for nearly 25 years, and couldn't begin to count the thousands of words I must have churned out in that time. No regrets about my career choice, for all its frustrations. At the same time, writing to someone else's brief isn't always entirely satisfying. I'm interested in using Vocal to explore a few other ideas. My Pints & Parkruns series is sheer self-indulgence, but maybe it raises a smile among some of the other nutters who like to run around muddy fields early on a Saturday morning. I've found this a space where I can give some love to people and organisations I appreciate or admire. And, given a bit of time, I'd like to try and develop a bit more creative writing and move away from worrying about strict factual accuracy (like a journalist ever gets too bogged down in that! ;) )
Thank you for sharing your reasons why you’re right. My reasons to write are the fact that I am finally having the opportunity to express what’s been going on in my head for so many years. Never had the chance to dive into the creative avenue and now I’m getting ability and time to do so. 
Excellent story. I write to express my thoughts, create my dreams into reality on word to publish. I write because I love writing, art, film, and music. I write from my soul and my hearts content because I must convey a message.
Interesting read. I write sometimes to escape reality, sometimes to create the world I want to be and sometimes because I can voice thoughts I would never have the courage to say out loud and even if I did no one would listen or care so putting them to paper makes them exist -makes me exist.
You're right Mike, not the money but self-expression. And you deserve kudos for being consistent at it! Well said.