I know it’s a cliche interview question, but I do enjoy hearing authors respond to, “Why do you write?” Most try to dodge the question, but a few answers are pretty good, and I try to collect them.
“I write plays for the same reason I do everything: to impress women.” Eric Sumangil.
“To exorcise my demons.” An Owomoyela. I’m pretty sure xe was joking, but I’ve heard that before.
“If I see a play I think is incredible, I think, ‘I need to try to do better than that.’ If I see a terrible play, I think, ‘I can do better than that.’ I usually write out of hate.” Sean Christopher Lewis.
Woody Allen makes films because it’s the next best thing to personal oblivion. A few writers have said they write because they aren’t good at anything else. Many others said they read a story and thought, “I can do that.”
Me, I try not to think about it. It just amuses me when other people are honest.
sam ferree | scribbler 