Why so many more people want to write than do write

I'm risking a blog theme with this and the previous two columns, but I figured I might as well reveal this dirty secret of writing while I was addressing the job.
The answer is simple: it's way cooler to have written than it is to write.

Writing is not an exciting activity to watch or, often, to do. You sit alone, you stare into space a lot, you concentrate hard, and you type or take pen to paper. Stamping labels on green bean cans might be less intellectually demanding, but it's also more active.

Having written, however, you get to show off your creation, discuss it, hope for praise (and cringe at criticism), and generally be a writer. Ooh. Aah.

As I've said before, if you can possibly not write, don't.

If you must write, however, then shut up and do it.

As I will now.