Why Folks Write Fiction

You ever wonder why people—regular, otherwise sane people—spend countless hours making up stuff that never even happened?

They write whole novels, short stories, epic sagas, 300-page romps through vampire high schools, alternate histories where Napoleon opens a cupcake shop, or graphic novels about talking dragons who dabble in therapy.

What’s up with that?

Fiction writers are a curious bunch, no doubt. But their reasons for writing stories—especially the fictional kind—are surprisingly rich, layered, and, at times, oddly relatable.

So let’s dig into the question: Why do folks write fiction, anyway?

Escaping Reality... While Still Processing It

Let’s start with the obvious: life can be a lot. Stress, heartbreak, bills, politics, heartbreak again, climate change, traffic... you name it. Writing fiction gives people a portal out of their own lives for a little while. But here’s the plot twist: even though fiction isn’t “real,” it often helps writers process real stuff—grief, trauma, anxiety, joy, love, hope.

A sci-fi story about a robot searching for its creator might actually be a writer trying to make sense of their relationship with a distant parent. A cozy mystery set in a sleepy coastal town? Maybe someone’s longing for community in a world that feels increasingly disconnected.

Fiction is an escape hatch—sure. But sometimes, it's also a mirror.

Because Control Feels A M A Z I N G

In real life, things go sideways. Often. But in fiction? Writers are in charge. They get to decide everything: who lives, who dies, who falls in love, what kind of coffee the villain drinks, what decade the story lives in, and whether dragons exist (spoiler: they always should).

It’s the ultimate power trip... but like, in a cozy, harmless way.

This is especially powerful for folks who’ve experienced chaos or powerlessness. Writing a fictional world means reclaiming control, one scene at a time. And let’s be honest: sometimes it just feels good to make things up and have them go exactly how you want.

To Say the Unsayable

Have you ever had a thought that was just too weird, too raw, or too dangerous to say out loud? Yeah—fiction’s perfect for that.

Want to explore heartbreak, rage, forbidden love, taboo topics, or terrifying truths? Do it through the eyes of a ghost who can’t remember who she was. Want to explore the complexities of identity, morality, or good vs. evil? Wrap it in a story about time-traveling librarians. You get the idea.

Fiction lets writers explore difficult or messy emotions without having to confess them outright. It's the art of saying something deep, meaningful, and raw—just disguised as something else.

Because There’s a Voice in Their Head That Won’t Shut Up

Writers joke about this, but it’s real: sometimes a character shows up in your brain and refuses to leave until their story is told. Like an uninvited guest who insists on narrating their tragic backstory while you’re trying to fold laundry.

Some folks write fiction because they feel compelled. Ideas strike like lightning. Snippets of dialogue arrive mid-shower. An image won’t stop playing in their mind until they do something with it. For some, storytelling is not a choice—it’s a necessity.

And when inspiration shows up knocking, writers know better than to ignore it.

Because They Were Readers First

Almost every writer was once a reader who got completely swept away by a story and thought, “I want to do that. I want to make someone feel the way this made me feel.”

Writing fiction is often a love letter to the books that shaped us. The ones that got us through middle school, heartbreak, long nights, or big changes. Writing becomes the natural next step—like passing the torch or paying it forward.

Besides, reading a good book is a magical experience. Writing one? That’s pure alchemy.

To Connect With Other Humans

Weirdly enough, making up fake people helps real people feel less alone. Writers write because they want to be understood—or because they want someone else to feel seen. There’s something beautifully ironic about writing fiction in order to tell the truth about what it means to be human.

Good fiction taps into shared emotions: fear, longing, love, loss, laughter. It’s not about dragons or detectives or dystopias—it’s about what those things represent. Writing fiction is a deeply empathetic act. It's saying: “Hey, reader. You’re not alone. I’ve felt this too.”

Because It’s Just Fun, Okay?

Let’s not overthink it. Writing fiction is fun. It’s creative. It’s playful. It’s like building a Lego castle out of words. It can be as serious or silly as you want. And the best part? There are no rules.

You can have a detective who solves crimes with the help of his talking pet ferret. A medieval knight who’s also an Instagram influencer. A small-town baker who bakes spells into her muffins. If that doesn’t sound like fun, I don’t know what does.

Some people paint. Some people garden. Some people write epic tales about alien civil wars on moons made of cheese.

We all need something that sparks joy.

To Leave Something Behind

Some writers are legacy-minded. They want to leave a mark. Fiction allows people to bottle up a piece of themselves—who they were, what they believed, what they feared, what they hoped—and set it free into the world.

Stories live longer than people. That’s powerful stuff.

Whether it’s a bestselling novel or a short story posted anonymously online, fiction becomes a way to whisper across time: I was here. And here’s what I imagined.

So... why do folks write fiction?

Because life is complicated, and fiction helps us make sense of it. Because imagination is a gift, and storytelling is how we share it. Because writing is a kind of magic, and some people are born to cast spells.

And sometimes, people write fiction just because they have something to say—and making it up is the best way to tell the truth.

Now go forth and tell your story. The world’s waiting.