What Really Happens When You Want To Start Writing
Thousands, yes thousands, of articles are published on Medium every day (you’re reading one of them right now). Each time you read something, either on the website or on the app, you feel motivated to write something yourself. You had an idea, or a bunch of them, but you never did what needed to be done- write.
It’s really important that you take that first step- your desire to have an article to your name will remain a desire if you don’t. It doesn’t matter what medium you use (pun not intended), whether it’s a paper and pen or a computer, as long as you can start seeing the words. Literally see them. When you start seeing your thoughts being materialised in the form of words, something really amazing happens. You begin to see what words you want to use next, to finish that sentence. Then to finish that paragraph. And then to conclude your article.
I’m not going to tell you that writing is easy. I’d be lying if I said it is. But I’m not going to say that it’s hard either. When you’re starting out, it doesn’t matter if you are producing extraordinary content. It doesn’t matter that much later on either. What matters is putting those thoughts into words. Taking those first steps.
I know I’ve already said that a few times now, and I’ll probably say that a few more times. I keep repeating it because it is important. I’m writing this so that you feel that spark of motivation one more time and hopefully it’ll convert into that story or that article you’ve been wanting to write for a long time. But if, after you finish reading, you forget the most important thing I’ve asked you to do, to write, then you’ve wasted those precious few minutes of your day. And I don’t want that to happen to you. Get something to write on, and start writing.
I’m holding a pen and paper to write on. What now?
Just start writing!! What you write doesn’t matter as long as you are writing. Write what you’re passionate about. Write about something you’ve learnt that you think might help someone else. Write a story. Write about your cute pet or your unique house or that serene lake you see every morning. Doesn’t matter if you write a 50 words or a 1000. All you need to be thinking about is writing.
When you write, write for your satisfaction. It doesn’t necessarily have to be for someone else. But if your article made a difference to even 5 people by lighting up their day, putting a smile on their face or giving them a boost of motivation, consider that your effort was well spent.
Writing Rituals
For getting into a writing habit, the importance of writing rituals cannot be expressed in mere words. A writing ritual is like trigger to your brain to switch to writing mode and let the words flow. Though the term “writing rituals” sounds fancy and complicated, it doesn’t really have to be that way. It can be something as simple as sitting in front of your desk and taking in a few deep breaths. Or if you like to live a complex life, you can have a list of a few activities to do as a part of your writing ritual. Getting a ritual to actually trigger your brain takes at least a few days, so try to be patient with it. I’ll be writing more about these writing rituals in my upcoming articles.
Call To Action
You’ve spent your precious time reading this article, and now it’s time to make use of what you’ve read. If you can’t start right away, that’s okay. But you need to make sure that you have some words (50 sounds good for starters?) written or typed before you go to bed.
“What you need to do tomorrow, do it today. What you need to do today, do it right now.”- Saint Kabir.
Get started today. Think of it as doing yourself a favour. You’ll thank yourself someday for sure.
The publication below is dedicated to helping budding writers publish their work. Be sure to check it out before you publish :)
Let me know in the comments section how you start with your writing journey.
Have a great day!!
