Why?

[Shindig]

I write because I have stories I'd like to be told.

And money.  I'm more likely to get money from doing something, rather than nothing.

[padnar]

personally  I feel you write ,only because you love writing
and are passionate about it . Money  will act as an incentive
no doubt about it but it is not the sole reason for writing .
padma

[Willard]

I highly suggest reading http://www.anti-shurtugal.com/wordpress/?p=37

I don't 100% agree with it. I write because I enjoy writing, but I believe that eventually you can't be 100% contempt with writing when you don't want to, and the only time that could happen is when it's your career - which I believe the article slightly accomplished saying.

[Chuck58]

I went back 3 or 4 pages and didn't find this question, so figured I'd ask.

Why do you write?

For me, it isn't about being read, or having a story to tell, or anything so altruistic. Although I've written stories solely for me, I began trying to publish purely for $$$$$$. I can go for weeks and never open my word processor, but if somebody says there's a magazine looking for a story and they'll pay (name a price), suddenly I'm full of ideas.

I'm approaching screenwriting the same way, and there's a plus. Even with an option, there's the potential of a 4 or 5 figure payment against a sale price.

I think it was Mickey Spillane who said it many years ago, when he and a couple of other writers were on a talk show. After the show, he said, "We never talked about why we really write - MONEY."