What's the Point of Writing

My goal as a writer is to clearly communicate a point to another. If I can do that, then I accomplished my goal as a writer. Everything else that entails writing is just gravy.

This should seem obvious for those of us who are wordsmiths. Others who practice this craft, who are far more skillful at this than I, might give a different or a much more articulate or more insightful goal than what I just wrote above. But, let those write out their own goal for writing. I'm just speaking for myself on what I want to accomplish with writing.

But what is writing anyway? Writing is simply communicating a thought in written form to another. It could be writing to yourself but that's still communicating a thought in written form. That's what writing is about. What about poetry or creative writing? If we boil it down, it's still communicating a thought or a point in written form. I'm not dismissing these beautiful artforms. (I have even delved into this form of writing by creating and publishing a novel.)  I'm simply making the point writing is a means of communicating of what's inside your soul. 

But this gets tricky when we're talking about business forms of writing. In that case, you're communicating what is inside that organization's soul (ha, ha) and we're just facilitating. At least, that's my take from experience as a technical writer. If we are writing in a business setting, then it would be know if that company's values match your own because as a writer you are communicating in the heart of that company.

Where am I going with this? I believe it's important to know why you're writing. What are we are aiming at? Writing for simply writing's sake is a waste of time. That's like firing an arrow without a target in mind. That's only dangerous but pointless. When we write, we must know where are writing for and why. 

Of course,  I don't merely want to write to make a clear point. I want to make that point to help others with whatever it is they need help with. And of course, the point should be honest. But, I won't be able to help that person with honest information unless I make a clear point.

What about passion? Yes, you should definitely write because you have the passion to do so. If you don't have a passion to write, don't bother. Otherwise, it will show.

So, I stated my point for writing. What's yours?