For me, there was never a moment when I decided I wanted to be a writer. It’s always just been a fact about me; Theo, the little boy who loves books.

But as I’ve aged, I’ve asked myself: why do I write?

Maybe it’s because my mother is a writer, and I’m inspired by her. Maybe it’s just because I’ve lived in Iowa City since I was a toddler. Given our powerful literary culture here, thanks to our great library, and the international-class University of Iowa Writing Program, it’s certainly possible. I’ve given plenty of other reasons too; escapism, because I like reading, ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’, the list goes on.

But truthfully, I have absolutely no idea why I write; I sit in front of a blank word document and spin nothingness into existence.