What, in your opinion, are the purposes for writing fiction?

Fiction is of two kinds, writing for the sake of writing - art for art's sake - and writing for change, societal concern or reflecting social reality in your piece. Fiction is based on your ability to imagine......to melt yourself into a locale, past, present or future, associate with the characters and build plausibility/logical coherence. The purpose of fiction is certainly giving vent to your imagination and creative skills.

I believe the primary purpose of writing fiction is to put your creative writing skills to good use. It is a way to let your art speak. It is a way to show the world your potential. You may also wish to write to prove something, to demonstrate something, to educate the readers of the core of the subject in a fictional environment, to speak your thoughts and fantasies, to vent your feelings and emotions etc. But you must first be willing to share with the masses what you possess as a writer. You must be willing to share your art. Art can make your soul transparent. A good reader will look through the transparency and into your soul. You must be ready for that. Writing fiction serves exactly that purpose.

it's like showing up your inner thoughts, feelings, fears and conflicts in life. and in many sentences you can convey to the reader the real massage of life that you want to .

Fulfillment, either emotional, as in someone has an idea for a story (novel, screenplay) or to manipulate for their own gain (smear campaigns).