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Why do I Write?
by Kelly Gooltz
The opportunity to explain that to a group of other wonderful women SHOULD elicit excitement but it has me wondering and searching for how best to answer it.
Am I a writer? What is the purpose of all this?
I toggle between multiple blogs, as many of you may know. It is always so hard to know and define the purpose of all this time, effort, and energy in tangible ways.
My family blog serves a definite purpose; it provides first and foremost a manner in which I and my immediate family (Bob & kids) a way to remember our life, appreciate what we have and reflect upon our current and past blessings.
It also serves as a platform to share with my extended family & friends what is going on in our lives, how we are all doing.
None of my blogs (or my Facebook pages for that matter) were never ever designed to get so many “hits” or “comments“; that was never the intent. I began to seek out what my purpose was of maintaining my blogs, my writing.
Then I got a bit paralyzed by the fact that I am writing yes, but am I a writer?
I began to think a bit more about that and realized that my fear stemmed around the very word “writer” itself and my self-confidence. So I asked myself a few questions:
What is a writer?
Can I consider myself one? I mean, I write, I put thoughts down; sometimes in a jumbled mess but I put them down.
I don’t hoard them or keep them bottled up I share them…but does that make me a “writer”?
Some of the definitions of a “writer” are:
* a person who has written a particular text ~ (yup I have done that)
* a person who writes in a specified way ~ (yup I do that)
* a person who has a specified kind of handwriting ~ (yup I have that)
I think that sometimes we, really ME… gets caught up in the idea of writing or calling myself a writer and thinking that it somehow has to do with publication of material. In NO PLACE that I researched does it ever mention that the definition of “writer” is intertwined with “publication” or “number or readers” or “number of sales”.
NOPE NOWHERE.
I believe that the purpose of my blogs is to share with the world my thoughts, feelings, words and maybe a nugget or two of wisdom.
I have never claimed to be a writer, but now I feel confident that I AM one.
Anyone who can weave thoughts into letters & words to be put down on paper in black & white is technically a writer.
A writer writers because they HAVE to; Like an addict to their vice, a writer is DRAWN to the word, the story and THAT is enough of a purpose.
The BENEFIT is that maybe someone someday would read it and maybe like it….but if not who cares…because THAT is not the purpose.
The same holds true to my photography. I am NOT an experienced “published” photographer but that does not mean I am not a photographer.
It does not mean that I lack sufficient talent and ability to share my images with the world.
NO I am a photographer just like I am a writer.
Just like the pen & paper ( or in my case my laptop & keyboard) are my tools utilized to BE a writer; my camera & my lens’ are my tools to BE a photographer. I need NOT some formal publication or someone else to tell me I am a photographer & a writer…no I tell ME that I am those things…that and the dictionary of course.
OH and for those of you who are curious about the other “titles” I live by…I classify and claim to be many things: Writer, Photographer, Wife, Mom, Friend, Sister, Daughter, Chef, Taxi Driver, Master of negotiations, personal banker (to our teen), hopeless romantic, athletic director…sigh the list goes on and on and NO there is NO degree or placard that gives me those titles… it lies in their very definition and the reality that under it all I am MOM.
So if anyone out there is reading my ramblings or enjoying my images welcome. If you feel you want to leave a comment or two GREAT if not that is OK too….because I will still be here.