Why I Write

Writing is something I've done off and on throughout my life. I've written poetry and stories since childhood, but recently my relationship with writing has changed. I've been making it a priority to write more often, and as a result I'm discovering new benefits.

Writing makes me feel alive. It helps me make sense of the world, and my own thoughts and emotions. It gives me a platform. It gives me a voice. Sometimes I don't really know what I'm thinking or feeling until I write it down. When life gets busy, I still make time to write. It keeps me grounded, and it keeps me sane.

I write while I'm on the train, I write at lunch, I write in the morning and at night. When I'm not writing, a part of my mind is still busy thinking about what I'm going to write next. I love to pour out my emotions onto the page, refining my thoughts during later revisions if necessary.

I can change my mood just by writing. When I write about sad things, it makes me sad. When I write about happy things, it makes me happy. Writing, for me, is a gateway to empathy. I ask myself what it might feel like to experience this or that situation, then I write about it and find out.

Writing is simple, though some might try to tell you otherwise. To call myself a writer, I simply need a writing instrument and a writing surface. Such things are easily obtained in the developed world -- even sticks and dirt will do for a start. You are probably reading this on a computer that is capable of word processing, or a phone that is essentially a pocket-sized writing machine. You have all the tools you need. Sure, you could sign up for classes, join a writing group, or find a mentor. But none of these will do any good if you don't make time to write. As long as you are writing, your skills will improve.

I am grateful for the time I've invested learning and refining my writing abilities. I'm grateful to those who took the time to teach me.

And I can't wait to see where writing will take me next.