Why do we Write?

I came across this interesting article a while ago, which is more accurately titled, Why Women Write? It makes interesting reading and I'm sure we'll all find a similar reason to our own in the responses.

The immediate question that struck me, however, was why should there be any difference between why women write and why men do? Or perhaps the article was only aimed that way because it's a site about women and books. I won't get into the whole male-female writing debate as it's been done to death. Mslexia magazine, which is aimed completely at women writers, is still alive and well and often carries comparisons between the genders.

My own reason for writing is multi-faceted: to express my thoughts creatively; to write out the stories and characters inside my head; to entertain and inform; to earn money where possible instead of going out to work!

No doubt you all have reasons of your own for this enjoyable, exciting, frustrating and creative activity.

I've been interviewed again and only discovered it last night, on Authors Interviews. Relentless online promotion when anew book comes out and people can't find it by wandering into a shop!

Rosemary

Writing Magazines - Mslexia

Okay, I'll say right off that Mslexia is for women writers only. While not exactly feminist, it does sometimes contain articles highlighting some of the difficulties women writers often face in comparison to male writers. And I'm not going to argue the case for or against here! Suffice to say we all have enough of a struggle to actually get published these days.

Available quarterley, either by subscription or in some shops, Mslexia is a little more literary in tone than other writing magazines. But it does offer a few opportunities to be published. Each issue contains a New Writing section for poetry and short stories. The theme is given in the previous issue and a new guest judge is chosen for each competition. There is also a Flash Fiction story in each magazine, with a maximum of 150 words and, again, the theme is given in the previous issue.

Another slot is Curious Incidents which is a non-fiction autobiographical piece of 850-900 words to a given theme. Other submissions are welcome, including Book Reviews and One I Love.

Full details are on the Mslexia site and in the magazine. The next New Writing submissions are for the annual Open Poetry Competition, closing date 26th July 2010.

Rosemary