Welcome to Day 1 of the series, 31 Days of Writing Tips!

This series is part of the annual writing challenge, 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes. Each of the posts in this series will be a five-minute free write based on a list of one-word prompts. Short and sweet — and hopefully helpful!

Find the Table of Contents and links to other posts in the series here.

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You might think this is an unusual prompt to start a series on 31 Days of Writing Tips, but I can’t think of a more important place to begin.

Before we spend time discussing ways to improve our craft, we need to build a strong foundation.

We need to know our WHY.

So before we go any further, I have to ask:

Why do you write?

I encourage you to take some time to seriously ponder this question. Write your answers down in a place that you can refer back to in the future.

Throughout the writing life, you’re bound to have highs and lows. You’ll likely experience at least one season (if not many) during which you question why you’re even “wasting” your time writing at all. You may wonder if it’s worth it. You may question your gifts or purpose.

It’s in times like these that establishing your “why” is so crucial.

When the negative voices whisper in your ear or maybe even threaten to overwhelm you, go back to your why. Find the reasons you wrote down and remind yourself of your God-given purpose.

If He has given you gifts, He will also equip you for the task.

Figuring out your “why” and committing to this higher purpose has the potential to keep you going when you’re tempted to give up. When you feel discouraged by the low numbers visiting your blog or sharing your social media posts, remember your why. You’re writing for more than numbers. You’re writing for Him.

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Need some inspiration or motivation?

Here are 25 Reasons Why You Should Write

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