Do any on Orwell's list below apply to you?
Orwell lists "four great motives for writing" which he feels exist in every writer. He explains that all are present, but in different proportions, and also that these proportions vary from time to time. They are as follows:
1.Sheer egoism- Orwell argues that a writer writes from a "desire to seem clever, to be talked about, to be remembered after death, to get your own back on grown-ups in childhood, etc." He says that this is a motive the writer shares with scientists, artists, lawyers - "the whole top crust of humanity" - and that the great mass of humanity, not acutely selfish, after the age of about thirty abandons individual ambition. A minority remains however, determined 'to live their own lives to the end, and writers belong in this class.' Serious writers are vainer than journalists, though "less interested in money".
2.Aesthetic enthusiasm- Orwell explains that the present in writing is the desire to make one's writing look and sound good, having "pleasure in the impact of one sound on another, in the firmness of good prose or the rhythm of a good story." He says that this motive is "very feeble in a lot of writers" but still present in all works of writing.
3.Historical impulse- He sums this up stating this motive is the "desire to see things as they are, to find out true facts and store them up for the use of posterity."
4.Political purpose- Orwell writes that "no book is genuinely free from political bias", and further explains that this motive is used very commonly in all forms of writing in the broadest sense, citing a "desire to push the world in a certain direction" in every person. He concludes by saying that "the opinion that art should have nothing to do with politics is itself a political attitude."
I confess that 1&4 apply to me.
I understand fully what Lorraine says but after thinking about it and reading his list, I think we all must have something that we probably haven't considered until it is placed on the table. I wanted to write from being about seven, I think I have mentioned what put me off in my profile. I have been unable to climb the job ladder, although being expected to by the higher ups in the service I was employed by. my problem is an inability to recall what I have learned. sounds funny but not so. My writing is something that comes from a place nobody else can go unless I allow it by writing it down.
so writing is my showing off, unfortunately because of the memory prob my English is rubbish even though I love it. Therefore I depend on a lot of editing (that problem will be evident in this post as nobody has edited it!!!) For me 1 and 4 but 1 mainly.
Hope I haven't rambled too much Regards Paul G
Lorraine, from your comment yours are obviously 1, 2 and 3.
I suppose must allow 1, 3 and 4 for me. :D
I do it because I'm awesome and I want the world to know it, so... number one, I guess?