To me, writing is fun, plain and simple. Not necessarily easy, but fun. When I see a blank screen, I see challenge and opportunity.

Not everyone feels this way. I’ve got a son in 6th grade who would willingly sell his soul to the highest bidder if doing so would get him out of  having to write anything for school ever again. Thankfully, he’s too young to create his own EBay account.

Some parts of the writing process- proofreading comes to mind- are a royal pain in the tail, but essential to the ultimate success of a project. Other parts of the process, such as research, can be intellectually stimulating, but don’t exactly qualify as “fun” in and of themselves. Absolutely necessary, but not “fun.”

So, where does the fun come from? For me, the fun comes from two things:

First, I like playing with the concept of “what if,” especially with fictional story telling. A lot of fun can be had playing around with different characters in different scenarios, even if if those scenarios end up in the trash bin.

Second, I like getting my audience to see the world in a slightly different way. That may not always be pleasant- my video documentary on homelessness comes to mind- but there is a certain satisfaction in watching people mentally chew on their preconceived notions.

What about YOU, dear reader? Is writing fun for you? Why or why not?