Why I Write?

By K. L. Bridgewater

Why do I write? I have been asked this question by a lot of people. Even students that can't tolerate writing and reading. Today, it is hard to get students to pick up a book or less write anything besides a text. I'm part of the generation that doesn't text. Hard to believe, I know, but the parents with teenagers who graduate from high school, older generations and teenagers are the ones who text. My husband, me, and a whole bunch of others are age don't text. We don't see the purpose in it. I won't even allow my twelve-year-old son to text or have a cell phone. I don't want him to be tied to a phone all the time. (Enough ranting. I'll go back to my original question).

I have enjoyed writing since I was little. My father handed me a journal when I was nine and told me to record my feelings and quotes from writers. I already loved to read, but writing was something different. I filled that journal with hateful words when I was mad at my parents for something I thought was wrong. But as a I grew up, I started making up stories in those journals. My first "finished" book was written when I was fourteen. I still have it. It is titled Christmas Wish. I have scanned that book a couple of times. It was poorly written with no real action. But I won't throw it away. I have written short stories and a couple of other novels, which I still own.

I wrote a creative thesis in graduate school. It is a collection of six short stories all centered around the theme of growing up. Life doesn't turn out the way we imagined it when we were younger. My stories feature six different women and their difficult paths as they become mothers, wives, and a daughter returning home for the holidays. The only nerve-racking part of the whole process was having to sit before a committee and defend my choices of why I created my characters and plot to do certain things. I survived. My A proved that.

Recently, I have joined the ACFW, and I have been working on more mature novels. I have two complete 90,000 word novels sitting on my bookshelf. Currently, I'm working on a three-book series, which feature Devin Sanders and Chloe Walker. There is a number of twists with an ending I hope the readers don't see coming.

I have tried to give up writing a couple of times, but God keeps urging me to write. Either through blog posts or guest blog posts or writing contests coming up. God keeps popping story ideas or twists to my three-book stories, so I feel the urge to write at all times. I wanted to leave writing behind, but God must have a reason to give me this gift. I just hope I will see it before I die. I want to use my gift to encourage and draw others to Christ.

Why do you write? Have you tried to quit writing, but God pulls you back in?