Jen's Journal

Every student in my major came in with big dreams of having their work published. We would eagerly sit with our pens and notebooks, taking in all the advice we could from professors who made it happen for themselves.

But as soon as we got a big assignment, we would complain about the amount of writing we had to do. One of the most prolific writers of all time said that to be a writer, you must do two things above all else, read a lot and write a lot. Stephen King also says that he writes because he can’t not write.

Perhaps this is what every writer should ask themselves, why do you write? Does it consume you with adrenaline and help you work things out? Or does it feel like a chore that you keep procrastinating until the last minute, where you throw some words together and hope they sound good to whoever’s eyes might glide across them?

If you are wondering if this is something you want to do professionally, you should first ask yourself if you can write for the sake of writing, not for the sake of fame.