My Compulsion to Write - Bruce Atchison

Pierre Berton, in his book The Joy of Writing, put it well. A writer should write because they must. I agree with him on that point since very few people make a living from their prose.

I've always liked making up stories. Even as a boy, my sister Diane was lulled to sleep by the stories I told her each night.

I also used to gather a crowd of girls who laughed and giggled at my silly stories during Recess. Since I had poor sight, the boys wouldn't let me play sports with them.

Having stories read onto tape was a real boon for me. I spent many happy hours engrossed in the adventures and misadventures created by authors.

Now I'm the one creating those stories. None have won me any fame and money but I still write them occasionally. There really is joy in writing for those of us gripped by the compulsion to write.