PROMPTED

I Write for Readers Sort of Like Me

A ‘Who do you write for?’ prompted response

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” — Mark Twain

I feel that way now that I write nearly every day. The days I don’t write? I usually feel off, that something’s missing — while still thinking about something I’d like to write.

But that answers the question of why I write.

Ms. kasey sparks asked, “Who do you write for?”

Yes, she’s aware of the dangling preposition

I wouldn’t be able to explain, clearly, what a preposition is. I’d have to Google Merriam and Webster. I only know what looks right, what sounds right, because of reading.

What feels right? That’s why I write. The better I get at writing, the more often I can achieve what feels right. You can see many examples in my Medium writing. Though that may not make it right.

That still only answers the question of why I write, but the answers for why I write point to who I write for.

You do what you love, write?

They say you should regularly do a self-check on your finances, your career, your goals, etcetera. I’ve never really been good at doing that. Even when prompted.

But my writing? I listen and consider the prompts regularly. Why? Because I’m passionate about writing and reading. You do what you love, right? Or at least, that should be one life goal.

“Who do I write for?”

The stock answer is, me.

I could be the world’s best cadaver dresser, but if I’m not interested in fashion or dead bodies, then I’m unlikely to be a cadaver dresser for anyone else, am I.

But the answer is a little more complicated than ‘me’.

Lately I’ve realised I’m writing to my Medium friends.

I was a technical writer for a lot of years. Why? Money, mainly. We all need a job and to make money. I turned to technical writing because it fulfilled the job / money need and it was writing. The writing was the ‘for me’ side of the job.

But it became a cut and paste, punch the clock gig. I became a mind-numbed machine.

In my writing, I wrote for a couple of friends. People who shared my sense of humour and attitude and always liked my stories.

Lately I’ve realised I’m writing to my Medium friends. Jumping in on prompts, tagging or ever so cleverly working their names into my blogs, always wanting to entertain them or make them pause and think.

But should that be who I write for? While I love it and have no intention of walking away from such a fun community and friends, should I be branching out with my writing?

And so, my answer to the prompted question is: Me.

We can write for money, but if we end up as machines, what good is that?

We can argue with, and preach to, people, but we’re unlikely to change their thinking as we drain ourselves (though, in the past, I’ve had head-banging fun trying to do just that.)

Just as I have various artistic influences, my audience isn’t just a party of one. I write for people like me.

If I can make my life better and have some small impact on someone else’s life? What could be better than that?

The best questions lead to more questions.

A good question may find an answer, but the best questions lead to more questions.

What do I want from my writing?

I’d now like to tag a few writer friends because I’d love to read some of their answers to the question(s) posed above.

Sadie Seroxcat, Susan Foster, Dave Logan, Penny Grubb, Penelope Mayfield, Pierce McIntyre, Jupiter Grant, Australian Alien, Diana Lotti, Kris Roley, K. Barrett, Jennifer McDougall, Alice Cunningham, Rodney Brazier

For anyone who hasn’t yet read kasey sparks’ prompt and would like to jump in, here’s the link:

In her prompt, kasey sparks tells a story about one of my favourite authors, Theodore Geisel. Here’s my nod to a guy who wrote for himself.

The best story tellers disappear from the reader’s view. A talented writer gets out of his own way. Clearly I’m still learning, as my most popular piece here on Medium is my story in the ‘About Me Stories’ publication.