Why do I write?

What drives me to put pen to paper? Or more often, fingers to the keyboard…

I'm always curious to learn more about the writers whose books I read. Not necessarily their personal lives as much as what drives them, what inspires them, and why they do what they do.

So here's why I choose to write:

Even though there are many other ways to spend our time on this planet, and we're all busy with other commitments, writing gives me that space to go on idea expeditions. To experiment, to have fun, and to try something new.

I write fiction because it's a way for me to imagine a better future.

I write romance because I want to show women that there are amazing partners out there and that we don't have to accept unfulfilling relationships.

I write because of the young girl I used to be who devoured books and vowed to one day be a writer.

I write because the ideas are persistent and the stories want to be told.

I write because I want to hone my craft. In the world of AI, I could push a button and have a book written for me. But I want to be the one writing, the one learning, the one evolving and getting better at something.

I write because I love the genre. I love love. I love the idea that love can save the day. That connection, found family, and love are enough to make life worth living. I love life, nature, and humans... even if I prefer solitude a lot of the time.

I write small town romance because as much as I think big cities are exciting, I believe that you can make any place feel like home if you're willing to put down some roots and commit to a place.

I don't write about billionaires because as much of a fantasy as that is, I believe we can all be content without mind-blowing fortunes.

The short answer is that I write because I want to. 

I don't write for the money or the fame. I've had a taste of both and I prefer writing because I have stories to tell, not to for approval or to appease an algorithm.

I write because I believe we all have agency and the power to make small but effective changes in our immediate communities.

I write because fiction is a great way to critique our shared culture and the systems that are invisible to us.

I write steamy scenes because they turn me on and often lead to more time in the bedroom with my husband.

I write to surprise myself. I write to understand humanity. I write to heal past experiences. I write to dream up new possibilities. I write to explore fantasies. I write to share my truth. I write to give myself an outlet.

I write, then I get new ideas, and I start all over again.