Do writers write for themselves or their audience?

Sometimes solving your own problem helps someone else too.

I’ve been reflecting on whether writers write to solve their own problems, or help others solve theirs.

Last night at improv we discussed the tension between exploring the craft while also engaging the audience. We discussed openings: the scene improvisers perform at the beginning of a show to generate energy, characters, and ideas for the rest of the show. Some of these openings can be very effective for the performers but alienating or confusing for the audience.

My classmate (who’s a musician) mentioned how in jazz, sometimes the jazz is enjoyable for the average person, but also some performers do jazz to explore the art form (and don’t think they need to consider the audience). I remember attending a jazz concert many years ago and feeling that it was a cacophony of disjointed rhythms, melodies, and riffs. What confused me was that the audience seemed so engaged. I concluded that they were either students of jazz or knew it well.

With writing, I’m finding that I often only publish half of what I write on Substack. And I think this is a good call. Often, the first few paragraphs seem to be about shaking out the cobwebs. By writing freely without expectations, I can eventually arrive at an interesting place. But if I sat down with the intention of writing only interesting things, I’d probably block myself.

I do a similar process in songwriting. My typical process is to mess about with chords until I find a progression that sounds like something. I then proceed to sing in jibberish, and only once I have what might be the melody and shape of the lyrics do I try to put words to it. However, like the couple of junk paragraphs that I don’t publish, I wouldn’t perform these jibberish versions of the songs to an audience.

I’ve considered that by trying to solve their own problems (and problems can be questions they have, wonderings etc.) writers will also solve the problems of others.

What do you think? Should writers write to solve their own problems? Or try and provide advice and solutions for the problems of their audience?

Michael Walter is an educator, writer, academic, founder, improviser, and musician. He explores the intersections of creativity, technology, innovation, and social justice, always with a deep curiosity about how humans grow and connect.