Emergence

"There was world and paper, and each could cross the surface of the other, marking it lightly but indelibly. Writing was my way of knowing what was for me otherwise unknowable..." --Carolyn Forche, page 300 in Writing Creative Nonfiction

Many writers that I've studied or talked to say that writing is a way for them to understand the world better, that they learn more about themselves and their lives through the process of writing. I think it has to do with the way writing enables you to distance yourself from your experiences. It's hard to analyze situations and see clearly when you're living them. And creating any kind of art is a form of self-discovery; it's usually surprising to see what's really in your mind. Writing does leave an indelible mark on your life.