Why Do We Write?為什么我們要寫作？

Joe Bunting

It’s safe to say there are more writers now than at any other time in history.

Seriously though， why do we write？ How does writing make a positivedifference in our own life， and in the lives of those around us？

To Make a Name for Ourselves

We’re still talking about many writers long after their deaths. Writing lets usmake a mark on the present world and future generations if writers have the courageto print their stories on paper， and then pass it on to a reader. And， with some luck，that readers passes that story on to another reader， who passes it on again.

To Change the World

Humans want to bring new things to life， to mold1 things into the image wehave in our imaginations. Writing gives us a chance. We write not just to changethe world， but to create a new world. Every day， when you put your fingers to thekeys， you’re creating something. And then， with the click of button， you can shareit with the world.

To Discover Meaning

Writers are uniquely2 gifted to find meaning for themselves and to help othersfind meaning. In fact， this has always been the main task of storytellers. Every storymatters to the person living it， and writers’job is to tell the universal3 stories， thestories that reveal4 the story of every person on the earth. We write to bringmeaning to the world. You never know whose life your story could change. That’swhy， deep down， we should understand that it’s important to not only start butfinish what we write.

We all have stories to tell. Why not write your stories down for us？

可以肯定地說，現(xiàn)在的作家比歷史上任何時(shí)候都多。

說真的，我們?yōu)槭裁匆獙懽?？寫作是如何?duì)我們自己和周圍人的生活產(chǎn)生積極影響的？

為自己揚(yáng)名

在許多作家去世很久之后，我們?nèi)栽谡務(wù)撍麄?。如果作者有勇氣把他們的故事印在紙上，然后傳遞給讀者，那寫作就可以讓我們給當(dāng)今世界和子孫后代留下印記。并且，運(yùn)氣好的話，讀者會(huì)把這個(gè)故事傳給另一位讀者，后者會(huì)再次把它傳下去。

改變世界

人類希望賦予新事物生命，把事物塑造成我們想象中的形象。寫作給了我們一個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)。我們寫作不僅是為了改變世界，也是為了創(chuàng)造一個(gè)新世界。每天，當(dāng)你用手指敲擊鍵盤時(shí)，你就在創(chuàng)造一些東西。然后，只需點(diǎn)擊按鈕，你就可以與世界分享它。

發(fā)現(xiàn)意義

作家具有獨(dú)特的天賦，能夠?yàn)樽约赫业揭饬x，并幫助他人找到意義。事實(shí)上，這一直是講故事的人的主要任務(wù)。每個(gè)故事對(duì)生活在其中的人來說都很重要，作家的工作是講述普遍的故事，這些故事揭示了地球上每個(gè)人的故事。我們寫作是為了給世界帶來意義。你永遠(yuǎn)不知道你的故事會(huì)改變誰(shuí)的生活。這就是為什么，在內(nèi)心深處，我們應(yīng)該明白，重要的是不僅要開始寫，還要完成我們所寫的東西。

我們都有故事要講。為什么不為我們寫下你的故事呢？

Notes

1. mold 將……塑造成

2. uniquely 獨(dú)特地

3. universal 普遍的，全體的

4. reveal 揭示，透露