I am not, by any means, a professional at what I do, and I don't pretend to be. I leave that to people like Neil Gaiman and Donna Tartt. But even Neil Gaiman started out as a reporter (he even wrote a biography about Duran Duran, but he'd rather you didn't read it). I am but a lowly online reporter, but I am also someone who thinks of writing as an art form - the most approachable and relatable one we have - and I share a deep love for it with other writers.

"But, Derek," you're thinking, "if you love writing so much, why don't you marry it?" Put your hand down, I'm not answering your question, you jerk. "But, Derek," someone else says, "what makes you love writing so much? Why do you write?" That is a much better question, rhetorical article reader, thank you for asking. That question can actually be asked to every writer out there, professional or amateur. Each has their own reason, so let me tell you mine.

Ever since I was in Kindergarten, I loved reading. Sometimes the teacher would yell at me because I was reading something and not paying attention (she later told me that if she had to yell anything at me, she was glad that it was that I was reading too much and not something else). By the time I reached seventh grade, I was a level ahead of my classmates, and that's when I started to write in Mr. Gaglia's English class. Most of it was for class assignments, but every now and then I would write down something extra, a little story or something, probably because I was bored. I'm not going to show them here, because they're all terrible and I would probably be laughed out of the writing community, but Mr. Gaglia liked them enough that I passed.

In 11th grade, things changed when I took a Creative Writing class under Mr. Gaglia. We'd come into class, chat for a little, and when the bell rang, Mr. Gaglia would give us a prompt and we'd write for 40 minutes. This was the best training I've ever gotten, and I'd say that my writing has improved immensely because of it (See how I used immensely? Thanks, Mr. Gaglia!) From then on, if I needed any advice on certain aspects, I'd pay extra attention in class and practice.

I started writing at home, too. I'd buy empty notebooks and start writing in them whenever something came into my head (so far, all I have are empty notebooks and a highly advanced ability to procrastinate). I'd publish what I liked online, and I helped edit our school's art and literature magazine, Brick and Brook, which also featured one of my stories. It helped that I was in such a welcome environment for writers, so I could properly grow and enhance my ability (and my vocabulary - "enhance my ability?" Beat that, Melville!)

Of course, it's different for everyone. Everyone writes what makes them comfortable and at their own pace; Stephen King churns out at least two horror books a year, because if he stops, the accumulative build-up of words and ideas will block oxygen from getting into the right side of his brain and kill him. George R.R. Martin writes as slow as possible, because he likes screwing with his loyal, Tolkien-enthusiast fan-base. E.L. James writes because... money? We don't actually know why, but I'm sure someone likes it!

My point is this: there are many different kinds of writers, but absolutely anyone can write. All you need is a lot of practice, a little support, and a good attitude, and you could be the next Ernest Hemingway (because if Stephanie Meyer can make a living doing it, SO CAN YOU!). And to answer the question in bold up top - "Why Do We Write?" - it's because we love writing! We feel good about it, we have a certain amount of control over it, and we feel like we can make a difference with it. And here's the great thing about writing: if you really want to, you can too.

If you're an avid reader or a budding writer, I want to hear from you! If you have a question, or you just want to leave some of your work here, leave a comment below! A good writer never stops reading, and I never turn down a good story!