Why do I write?

Time and again, I come back to where I was when I was 13.

(Yeah! That was a long time ago)

That was how old I was when I decided that all I wanted to do was to read and write. I proclaimed proudly that I wanted to do my Masters in Literature. That’s it. I remember I wavered along the way. But my Mother set me right, brought me back to reality and somehow I did manage to do what I had planned.

Then… I joined advertising.

Encouraged. Guided. Mentored. I continued charging ahead.
Senior roles. Strategy. Marketing. Training. Facilitating. Coaching.
But time and again, I come back to my first love – reading. And second love – writing.

Why do I write?

So when I started blogging, the writing bug bit me further. And then I got asked, why do I write. And also when and how.
Well, I did start my career as a copywriter. And as a copywriter, you write. Whether it is morning or night, you write. If you have a deadline you write. If you don’t have a deadline, you write – for the work you have a deadline for!
And yes, did I mention writing? And re-writing?

Then you grow in the business.

Oooh! Now you are a leader. And you write more. Proposals. Presentations. Strategy Decks. Emails. You write because you have to write. And you also write because you cannot but write. And then some more. But it’s not the kind of writing that Mary Kondo would say ‘brings joy’. But…

It’s what you do.
It’s what you have to do.
It’s what you must do, figuratively speaking, to put food on the table.

And then comes the pandemic.

And out of the rat race, in an earlier noisy city now bereft of traffic sounds, you hear a small voice say something that sounds like, “get back to writing!” Out come the fountain pens (they do get the ink flowing!), the diary(old), some doodles, some jottings, and a lovely blank document and a coffee later… I start.

And with a sense of déja v I realise that I have been here before. This is where I want to be. And this time I was asking myself the same question…

Why do I write?

So I delve into an older post and bring it here to complete this one. This was when I was blogging regularly and people questioned me about it. And I quote…

I write because it’s easier to express on paper (figuratively speaking now) than to speak. Years ago, when I actually wrote on paper it was putting that pen on paper that actually got the thoughts flowing with the ink. And as the words formed whorls and shapes on paper my thoughts took shape and what was just an amorphous mass of words got sculpted into shape with the nib of my pen into something meaningful. 

And then something happens. And it looks like a book!

I’m now back to writing…

And I still write why I write. I still write how I write. Everything in the head first! As to when… right now is one time. Maybe later in the day? And yes late into the night some times. But anytime I write… I am happy I’ve picked up the pen again!

About the Book: What I Really Meant to Say!

Co-authored with John Britt, a best-selling author in the US, this book explores the nuances of interpersonal communications – how we work with so many biases and how we miscommunicate more than communicate. It’s an easy read with scenarios and examples rather than do’s and don’ts. At the end, it’s for you to pick up what you want to change in your communication style and make your conversations more meaningful and your relationships deeper. You can order a copy on Amazon.in or on Flipkart
And yes, do tell us what you think of it and how it has helped you. We, John & I, would love to have your feedback.