I chose to become a writer in 1969 because I felt compelled to write a novel–A Class of Leaders. I wanted to share it with the world and thought the world, without a doubt, would embrace it and make me famous. Well, as things turned out, A Class of Leaders has yet to be published, and fame, although I’ve had other books published, has never come to pass.

So the question arises: What motivates me, after 40 years, to keep on writing? And my answer is: To be the best writer I can possibly be.

I don’t compare my writing to anyone else’s, nor should anyone compare their writing to mine. I just try to write what I know, what I think, what I feel, what I imagine and then try to get it published.That’s it. It doesn’t bother me that I’ve never achieved notoriety in my profession. My quest for fame isn’t what makes me tick nowadays. I take it philosophically that it’s never going to come my way. And that’s OK. What’s important to me now is to start a project and finish it.

Oh, I wouldn’t mind being famous like Garrison Keillor, Philip Roth, J.K. Rowling or Stephen King. I wouldn’t mind having that kind of prestige, but let’s face it, folks, only a very small percentage of those who take up writing reach that pinnacle of success. If fame ever results at this stage in my life, I would be a very happy man. If it doesn’t, I will still be just as happy.

So many ideas come to mind when I’m away from my desk. I can be doing anything–loading the laundry, eating dinner, talking on the phone, gardening, reading the newspaper, watching TV, walking or driving–when all of a sudden an idea will pop into my head.

Here’s the thing: I always make sure to write down the idea right away. If I don’t, I’ll not only forget it, I’ll regret it.

“If that’s the case,” you might ask, “how do you write down an idea while driving?”

Being that I always have a pen and notepad in my shirt pocket, I pull over and write it down. It should be the same with cell phones–pull over to prevent an accident and text a message to yourself.

For a writer, pen and paper are a must at all times, even on your nightstand, because you never know when an idea will come a-knockin’.

I write because it makes me happy.

I write to find out what I’m thinking, feeling, imagining.

I write to create something out of nothing.

I write to encourage people who want to write but who don’t have the confidence in themselves to put words on paper.

I write to chronicle my time here on Earth.

I write to tell stories from my own perspective.

I write because it gives meaning to my life.

I write to find out where I’m headed and where the human race is headed.

I write to try to make sense of the world.

I write to keep my brain healthy.

I write to try to explain my existence in the universe.

I write to extol life, to show how fortunate most of us are to be alive and kicking.

I write to be immortal.

I write because there’s nothing in the world that suits me better.

I write because I’m a writer.

I write, therefore I am.

Cathy Hardy, my good friend Jerry Lipkin’s wife, is very special to me. She is one of the most wise and spiritual human beings I know. One day, several years ago, while the two of us were walking along the beach in San Francisco, Cathy said something that made me stop in my tracks so I could write it down: “What am I doing today to make myself better at what I love to do?”

Me, I love to write. What am I doing today to make myself a better writer? I’m writing.

A writer has to keep working at his craft. He has to keep practicing, just like athletes, ballet dancers and musicians practice their skill. What if a musician played only on performance night? He’d be out of sync with the rest of the orchestra. The more you do something, the more you’ll improve. Regular exercise of a skill or activity helps you become better at it. I do a hell of a lot of writing in my journal, not only to write down my thoughts, feelings and ideas, but to practice keeping my hand, eyes and brain working in unison.

Millions of words have been written about writing and the writing process, so who am I to add my two cents to the dialogue? Well, I’m adding my two cents because I believe what I have to say can help other writers.

If you have an idea but don’t know where to start, just start. If you have a desire to write but don’t know what to write, I’d like to spur you to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and start writing something, anything. Forget about making sense at the beginning, you’ll automatically make sense as you go along and as you revise.

Just write, don’t stop, keep your pen or fingers moving and don’t look back until you’re finished. If you do this non-stop kind of writing, it’ll be good for you, for humanity and the universe because writing is fuel for the soul. You’ll have peace of mind. You’ll discover new things about yourself. You’ll create something that no one else has ever created.