Why I Think Everyone Should Write Stories

 When I first started writing stories, back in the mid-nineties, I didn’t have the knowledge nor the talent to write compelling stories. All I had was imagination and the will to feed that desire. I didn’t think I would ever be published. But back then getting published didn’t matter. Because I found there is so much more to writing fiction than getting published. 

 

I’ve come to believe that everyone can benefit greatly by writing, and I base that assumption on my own experiences. Whenever I start a new story, be it a short story or a novel, I always choose a topic, location, and culture I want to learn more about. And then, as I draft an outline and delve into the story in my mind, I’m forced to study, to learn, to expand my understanding of the many varied topics and issues. For a novel, I typically read fifteen to thirty books on a subject, and several dozen news articles. I become immersed in the cultures, the foods, the landscapes, the people. And as I write, I begin to surprise myself.

 

And what I’m saying is: as I grow in knowledge something wonderful happens. When I grow my knowledge base, I begin to create different characters, and those characters do things I’d never dreamed of. I surprise myself by letting my imagination ride my new knowledge bareback into new and often delightful territory. And that new territory is a mirror. I see myself, I come to know more about myself, I come to better understand and appreciate who I am.

 

I have written many stories over the last twenty years. I’ve published eight novels and one collection of short stories. I’ve written three novels and countless short stories that are unpublished. And each story turned into a journey of self-discovery. And that’s why I think everyone can benefit by writing fiction. Who doesn’t want to explore their own depths by riding their creativity into new terrains?

 

I believe writing is one of the greatest learning experience a person can attempt.