As a writer, I’ve often wondered both why I’m drawn to the written word, and what its greater purpose in the world is.  Is it noble?  Is it simple entertainment?  Does it exist primarily to convey information?  The Point of Writing is a feature not meant to answer these questions outright (and really, is there ever a simple answer?), but to allow writers and readers alike to ponder them, and the nature of writing itself.

I met Chris McCormick in my undergrad days at Berkeley, when we were in workshops together with writers like Bharati Muhkerjee and Clark Blaise (it’s so cool when your professors have Wikipedia pages).  Chris is a brilliant writer who’s been published in the Southeast Review, Flyway, and Fleeting Magazine, among others.  He also has an awesome blog, One Way to Talk About Contemporary Fiction, which, beyond having a very cool name, has a great collection of short stories and other writing-related media.  While his concise response was, “I get off on sentences” (a rad answer unto itself), I got him to elaborate a bit.  Check out his answer below, and share your thoughts in the comments section.