I may have been a full-time writer for the last three years, but when people ask what I do for a living - I lie. It's not that I feel embarrassed by my profession, I just get sick of the general response: "So when are you going to get a real job?"

Most people don't consider writing to be a profession. And, unless you're a famous novelist, no-one gives a damn.

What is it, then, that compels someone like me to write? Is it simply a desire to be heard? Or can the written word provide something a whole lot deeper? Perhaps more importantly, why should YOU want to write?

1) BUSINESS OR BUST. If you can write well - you can sell well. Many of your bigger competitors employ professional writers to pen their websites, brochures, and even their email correspondence. If you seriously want to compete, you'll either need to make the same investment or learn the craft of writing for yourself.

Your words reflect you - and your business. If what you write appears unprofessional, your potential clients will assume that your services and products are too. No-one in their right mind would trust their hard-earned cash to a business which can't make the effort to write well.

2) ALL WRITE. Writing is definitely therapeutic. It's a real tonic - healthier than a stiff drink, and much cheaper than an appointment with a shrink. If something is bothering you, or if you're in a muddle - write it down. Whatever the problem, it certainly appears to be much clearer once it's down on paper. Pour your emotions onto each page and rid your system of any bad vibes. More often than not, you'll wonder what was wrong in the first place.

3) WRITE YOUR LIFE. In 'real' life, most of us will never get to be famous, be millionaires, the dashing James Bond, or the next Posh Spice. In writing, you can be whoever you want - and do what you want. The only limit is that of your imagination.

4) VOICE YOUR OPINIONS. As a writer, you have the potential to be heard by millions. Put your writing skills to good use and pen subjects which are close to your heart. You have the power to change how people think and behave. And, if published, your words can live and inflame long after you have passed away.

5) EXPOSE YOURSELF! Writing gives you the chance to flash all you've got:

'The quality which makes [you] ... want to write and be read is essentially a desire for self-exposure. Like one of those guys who has a compulsion to take his thing out and show it on the street.' James Jones, 'Writers at Work'.