A peasant woodland | A Working Library

The more compelling and interesting reason that most writers seek out readers is, I think, less utilitarian: we receive our writing as a gift, and so it must be given in turn. We write because something needs to be expressed through us, and only by giving the writing to a reader is that need fulfilled.

This is such an interesting back and forth between two of the most intelligent writers/essayists I have the pleasure of reading.

I largely agree that this is part of it for me. That said, for me there’s a bigger reason… Clarity. Writing is the only way I know of to make my thoughts clear — both for others (the reader) and myself (the writer). I seek out readers because I want those now clear thoughts to be listened to, considered, and understood. Especially because I often don’t feel that they are all of these things internally — inside my head they are a confused and jumbled mess. Only when I put them out there do I finally make sense of them. It’s like, “Ah ha! So I can make sense of this mess!” I’m a reader too.