In its simplest form, it's the pleasure of holding a pen and moving its tip across the paper. It's seeing what makes it onto the paper, the joy of finding tiny surprises, words or lines that strike me or tickle me. It's reading and rereading books about writing. I love Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones. It's reading authors and poets for inspiration. There are too many to name, but I've always felt deep connections to Sandra Cisneros, Mary Oliver, and Joy Harjo. It's becoming present and enhancing my senses so I can begin to see the nuances in ordinary things. It's the detective work, from choosing the right word to the missing piece of a distant memory. It's being vulnerable to the emotions that surface in certain writing moments. It's even the defeat I feel when I struggle with every word on the page. It's finding a sudden spark of something like hope and curiosity to go back to the page and try again. It's the promise of connecting with a reader, that your reader will find a small token in your writing that speaks to them. What about you? Why do you write?
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djvichos 
Beautifully said. I connect to all of your points. It is a joy to be in a community of writers. The process of writing, reading, and responding is a wonderful gift to give and receive.
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Yes to “It’s becoming present and enhancing my senses so I can begin to see the nuances in ordinary things.” A lovely list that resonates.
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It’s refreshing to hear the good things about writing, especially when I am having writer’s block. I enjoy the process of writing, as I sit in a quiet place and try to frame my thoughts so that I can clarify them and maybe share them with others,
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I love this list that you’ve bound up and put together for us. I think one line that really resonated with me was “It’s seeing what makes it onto the paper, the joy of finding tiny surprises, words or lines that strike me or tickle me.” There is such joy and wonder for me when my writing takes a turn that I don’t expect. Every time it astounds me – like, it’s coming from my own brain – how is it that I’m so surprised? This would also be a great post to share with students, I’m thinking…
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This makes me want to try writing! Great words fuddy 😊
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You write poetically. It’s wonderful that you start with stating that it is a pleasure. Your list speaks to me.
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Reading your list I notice how seldom I pose this question myself. So many of your points resonate, especially this one: “It’s the promise of connecting with a reader, that your reader will find a small token in your writing that speaks to them.” I’ve been blogging for almost a decade and honestly the miracle of a reader finding my words and seeing value in them is nourishing and life-affirming. Thank you for bringing me closer to the question.
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Not just a reminder to revisit reflecting on the why and how of writing — but also a super prompt and key to whole subgenre (why blog being a sub-subgenre). The why surely changes and presumable the how as well.
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