I’m participating in the #BarAThon – a blogging Challenge which involves blogging on every alternate day from Jun 17 – Jun 30, 2017. For each of the seven days, bloggers are free to choose either a theme (‘Seven’) or one of the seven prompts based on Book Titles for each day. Going with the theme—I’ve chosen Seven Reasons Why People Write.
Each time someone mentions the word “writer,” we almost always imagine a quirky recluse, hunched over a desk in some cabin, with mounds of crumpled paper strewn about, or, furiously tapping away on a keyboard, tossing one great masterpiece after another, with gusto!
Recognition as a writer sounds great and yet, many write because of an inner calling. For someone like me, who loved drawing doodles and scribbling in notebooks as a child, writing has always been a source of joy and freedom; one that has taken me on many a flight to fantasy, far far away from the predictability of our mundane lives.
As a child, although my parents never took any special interest in my writing abilities, I do recall my English teachers often encouraging me whenever I wrote something nice. During the growing up years, there were numerous examples of people who wrote— they were successful people in the world, who wrote in private, away from the public eye. Many great leaders and statesmen also wrote as a way to re-evaluate their thoughts during the day, while others used their writing as a key way to refining their thoughts.
Once I got started on writing, it was addictive. I’ve written for pleasure and in pain, to sort unresolved issues or to chide myself, when things went awry; through teenage angst and even beyond; as a young adult, learning and growing, while I was trying to find my place in this world. Wherever I went, my diary accompanied me. In fact, writing has always been an extension of my thoughts. I’ve written often and almost every day, through good days and bad ones, through the passing phases of life, through the known battles and unforeseen ones, heartbreaks and failures alike.
In many ways, writing became another tool for thinking, expression, and creativity for me. After a hiatus of a decade, I returned to writing again. My blog, for instance, took shape from my obvious love for writing; the joy of stringing words and documenting experiences and curating passing thoughts and memories was immensely gratifying.
If you ask me now, I’d say that my reasons to write have been many. Writing has always helped me put things into perspective, taking me away on breath-taking adventures, into a fantastic world of imagination, where there existed a parallel reality. Writing has brought me in touch with my inner world of introspection.
There are as many reasons to write, as there are people in this world. However, if we were, to sum up, the most notable would be the following:
1. Writing makes us aware of our thoughts, helps us to focus and to regenerate ideas. The act of writing helps us clarify things, and communicate our thoughts with the world at large. Besides, it also helps us de-stress, unburden things weighing on our mind, and makes way for brainstorming to take place, that leads to solutions.
2. Writing helps give vent to pent-up anger by releasing it harmlessly into the world and pulling our emotional state back to a good baseline. The act of releasing those innermost thoughts is cathartic and ensures us a good night’s sleep.
3. Writing in a gratitude journal about the good things in life makes us happy and count our blessings for things that we often take for granted.
4. Writing is akin to meditation when we permit ourselves to follow the stream of consciousness method by letting our words flow unhindered from the mind straight onto paper or the computer. Free writing exercise is a great way to start.
5. Writing about achieving future goals and dreams gives us a clear target for the future and makes us happier and healthier.
6. Regular writing helps flesh out our thoughts in the mind, without that constant ‘tip of the tongue’ feeling that can sap away our confidence when we speak.
7. A very important part of dealing with trauma is writing about it. Writing that way can be a greatly therapeutic in allowing us to come to terms with our loss, our personal tragedies. Used in this way, writing has been proven to be very effective in the process of healing too.
The above list, as you can see, is merely indicative of the wide-ranging benefits that writing promises to be. Be it is a simple note or a laborious work of fiction, it does not really matter what we write, as long as we are writing. Writing lends us a voice to express our innermost thoughts and beliefs in the best possible way, making us brave, strong and empowered.
It is a process that is fascinating and taxing at its best, mercurial and effervescent at times, often a pain and a pleasure both, one moment appearing to be a trusted confidante and a jealous lover at another. That is the real essence of writing, as I see it.
Tell me, what does writing mean to you? What are YOUR reasons for writing?
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You may read my other posts for the series here:
#Barathon Day 1 – The Fault is in the Stares.
#Barathon Day 2 – Life of Pie.
#Barathon Day 3 – Seven Favourite Film Scores.
#Barathon Day 4 –Seven Memorable Skywatch Shots.
#Barathon Day 5 – Seven Easy Pick-me-Ups