Tara Tomczyk 

Why Do You Write?

April 10, 2026

As I approach the 30th anniversary of the start of my publishing career, I’ve been looking back at all my experiences over the years—good, bad, ugly, and (often) hilarious. 

I’ve also been thinking about some of the strange and surprising things I’ve learned about books and publishing and especially writers. After three decades in the business, I thought I had a handle on what motivated the average writer, but I’ve noticed some things recently that have made me suspect I may be wrong. 

So . . . I’m asking you (or, at least, those of you who consider yourselves writers): Why do you write? 

This isn’t just idle curiosity. I’m actually collecting data for a project I’m planning to work on. And you can help. You don’t have to be published or a professional writer. I’m looking for ALLpeople who consider themselves a writer, in any sense, whether you’re on the bestseller list or just like to journal now and then. 

If that’s you, please fill out my questionnaire. Don’t worry—I won’t use your name or data in any public or identifiable way. I’m just trying to figure out a few things. 

And if you’re NOT a writer, please feel free to share the link to the questionnaire with all your writerly friends. I need all the information I can get to make this project (more details to come!) work. 

Thanks in advance for your help. And happy writing!