7 Reasons Why I’m a Writing Junkie

For me, writing is a high like no other. When a piece or poem I’m working on comes together beautifully, it is orgasmic. Here are some of the reasons I find writing addictive:

1) Liberation
Growing up in Pakistan, my feminism and liberal ideas always seemed to be in conflict with the patriarchal environment. There were times when I felt trapped and only really spoke in journal entries and poems where I explored identity, sexuality, religion, gender politics, any number of taboo topics. The more I wrote, the more I gained in confidence until the time came when my voice stepped off the pages and I had the courage to publicly articulate my opinions. To me, writing is fight, protest, struggle and freedom. It has been my strength in breaking free of limitations placed on me because in writing, there are none.

2) Enter, World
Some time back I wrote a poem on fog. For accuracy, I read up on it and discovered there are several types of fogs. Soon after that I wrote a poem using oceanic depth as a metaphor which lead me to research the five layers of the ocean. Writing about a walk with my geologist father had me looking up sedimentology. The more I write, the more I learn, the more I open myself up to the world and let it enter me in all its beauty and terror. Writing is my entry-point, my portal to the universe.

3) Living Deeply
Writers don’t just look at the world and all it contains, they really see it, experience it with all five senses. Under the influence of writing, feelings are more intense, senses are more engaged. When I write, my awareness and understanding of the subject deepens because I experience it anew, from a different angle, or with fresh insight. This translates beyond the page, in day-to-day living as well because I now bring a writer’s eye and sensibility to my surroundings, looking beyond shallow experiences.

4) Catharsis
Writing is the best outlet I know for sucking out the negative and making sense of any chaos in my mind. It exorcizes my demons, keeps the voices in my head to a dim roar and clears the way for happiness and joy to find me. Also, I don’t just write out the dark times in my life but also the sunny moments I cannot contain. Writing drains me of undesirable emotions and catches euphoric excess.

5) Builds character
Anyone who has gone through the rigours of writing and then trying to get their work published knows what patience, humility and courage is: working and re-working drafts, dealing with editor rejections and still coming back to face the blank page. Doing this day after day requires passion, mental discipline and tenacity. I am tested everyday.

6) Stories
We are living stories full of fascinating experiences, thoughts, emotions. As an observer of nature and people, writing connects me to the individuality and universality of our lives. Writing is both a celebration of imagination and reality, and transcends borders, cultures, religions. I write because I love and believe in the power and worth of stories.

7) Barometer of Success
Writing is my measure of accomplishment. Being a lover of books, I have always thought “if I can write, I will have made something of myself.” My heroes have always been authors and I have always wanted to be one of them. Writing is my personal barometer of having achieved something significant, of having something to show for my life.

I hope this resonates with all the writing junkies out there. Feel free to share YOUR reasons for writing. Until next week! 🙂