I didn't realize we could pick more than one reason in Q1 of the poll. Writing is an escape, a creative release, a part of who I am... it just is.
Would I write w/o an audience? Well, I can say yes, because I started writing fanfic at age 9 or so. I didn't know it had a name. Didn't know I was writing a Mary Sue. But it just had to be written down!
I do a lot of mental work, too, when going to sleep. I revist a favorite scene I've written, I let a new fanfic scene play out, I sometimes have to haul out of bed to write the dang thing down, in at least a skeletal form, so I can get to sleep if an idea is "really good." Often it doesn't seem that good in the morning, but I can't take the chance of missing that one great idea that was great.
I wish I had more time to actually write these days. Grading papers from by biology college seniors puts me in a sour writing mood! And the kids keep me busy. When I'm not insanely busy, I'm often totally exhausted. But even when life is too crazy to let me get the words down on paper, I continue to work on the stories in my head. I consider this to be part of the writing process, but it isn't as rewarding as actually getting the words down.
How would I survive the mundane minutes of life without mind stories and fanfic? I hope I never have to find out!
The one thing I wish I were good at that I am not is creating my own sandbox to play in. I play well in other people's sandboxes... creating my own from scratch has never worked to my satisfaction... the few ideas I did have never turned into much, even after much thought. It's frustrating. But I'm working on being grateful for the toys people have in THEIR sandboxes.
Jackie
