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# Why Do You Write?
- URL: https://justincox.com/blog/2022/02/why-do-you-write/
- Published: 2022-02-08T07:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2023-06-16T23:47:20.000Z
- Description: This Week In Writing, we reflect on Dickinson and explore an essential question for every writer: why do you write?
- Author: Justin Cox
- Tags: Craft, #This Week In Writing, This Just In, Culture, Life, #andy-weir

It’s no secret that I’m [a big fan](https://writingcooperative.com/are-you-writing-for-an-audience-or-authenticity-7ed0d43caee4?ref=justincox.com) of the AppleTV+ show, **Dickinson*. The series came to an end recently, with the release of its third season. During the finale, Emily Dickinson, played by Hailee Steinfeld, says, “Even if I can’t change the world, I will still write.”

When the series begins, Emily wants her words to change the world. The events of the final season show Emily she was born in the wrong century. As a result, she knows change will not exist in her lifetime. Instead, Emily asserts that she will write simply because she **has* to write.

Each week, I ask a new writer [why they write](https://medium.com/writing-cooperative/tagged/write-now?ref=justincox.com). The answers are all over the place. For example, [Andy Weir](https://writingcooperative.com/write-now-with-andy-weir-c3aad90b480f?ref=justincox.com) loves telling stories, while [Kristen Arnett](https://writingcooperative.com/write-now-with-kristen-arnett-58f2aad90c28?ref=justincox.com) feels terrible when she doesn’t write. I write to help others grow, learn, and make decisions.

Answers to **why do you write* highlight writers in ways other questions cannot. It helps get to the heart of what drives a writer to pick up a pen or put their fingers on the keyboard.

Why do **you* write? Hit reply and let me know.