While some authors write to pay the bills or to create "The Great American Novel," I write for something else.  I write for the self-reflection and the healing afforded to me through such actions.  I've found my own therapist in writing, a paper and pencil.  To me, the written word can take me away from my problems, but by writing my own words, I can achieve a sense of perspective not previously allowed to me. So many things, when seen in a different light, can be life changing.  Your problems, once the size of mountains, are now just small bumps in the road.  The succor gained from writing is why I do it.