The Power of Writing: Why I Write (a Personal Story)

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For so many out there, writing is a way to earn money, express themselves, or create worlds from their imaginations. It is a way to communicate without having to say a word. And for those like me, it’s an escape from the harsh realities of the world.

From the moment my mom taught me how to write my nickname, I had fallen in love with writing. Like a magic trick from my mind to the paper, what I could say or create was endless. And the secrets I could keep were safe, so as long as I secured it in a safe place.

So why do I write

It’s no secret that I was bullied from 1^st grade up until the 11^th. While school was great for some, it was a daily nightmare for me. One of the ways I dealt with bullying was to write my thoughts and feelings down. It was a way to confront the things that happened to me that day.

I remember one day quietly sitting in my room away from everyone and writing my most negative thoughts about myself down as I cried. No one really knew what I had gone through that day. But writing it down made me feel less alone.

But I didn’t just focus on my negative thoughts. At the age of 11, I started writing short stories. When I wasn’t using my writing to release my thoughts, I was using it as a way to create worlds that I could escape into. My mind was so vivid and able to come up with the wildest things.

From a short story about a purple and red comedy monster team to poems so deep in emotion, I was always writing something down.

Writing had been that boyfriend or best friend I always dreamt of but never had. It’s been the one thing I could confide in, and it never let me down. And the best part was writing during those years helped me cope with my own existence.

In my mind, what I put down on paper was never going to tell me how dumb I was or break my confidence down any further than it was. While it didn’t take all of my troubles with bullying away, it kept me afloat until I got the help I needed.

But it also developed a passion in me that I didn’t expect.

Evolving how I write

Writing may have served as a huge help for me to unleash some negative thoughts in the past, but it also developed my creative side further. Thanks to my mom, I’ve always had my hands in creating something as a child.

Yet, it wasn’t until I started writing more that my mind came in handy. And I started to see a change the more I did it. My poems became less about rhyming and more about expressing my feelings in a coded fashion. And my short stories turned into long, drawn-out chapters.

By 20, I wrote my 1st unpublished script/book about my favorite team, the New York Yankees. It was a story about some of the guys on the team and other popular players during that time as rival mobsters.

And that opened the door for me to create anything I wanted, to be what I wanted.

Writing my books became a way for me to take on any persona I wanted, in any world I wanted. I’ve lived as a mob boss fighting a turf war while falling in love. And lived as a rookie baseball player having to choose between the love of his life or making it to the majors.

I’ve lived as a teenage boy turned into a vampire and now out for revenge against the one who turned him. And more recently, I’ve lived as a 45-year-old hitman retiring from the game only to be pulled back in. yet these are just some of the worlds

I’ve created so many more in my mind, and they are just waiting for me to put pen to paper. Or fingers to keyboard.

And my ultimate persona is living as a survivor of a zombie apocalypse searching for their missing family. Writing allows me to bring every character I envision to life. Not to mention, it also gives me an excuse to act out their personalities.

Expressing myself through writing

I’m not the most confident person. A lot of people I know are more confident than I am. And it’s paralyzing when my anxiety gets in the way of me being social with others. While my mind plays out a full conversation for me to speak, my shyness says otherwise.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always written notes and letters to people. Whether it was a crush or someone I was hoping to be friends with, expressing myself to someone else has always felt more comfortable on paper.

And now, with texting so much a part of our lives, I am confident to say anything. Some may say it’s a crutch and hinders me from communicating vocally. But I see it as just an extension of myself. It’s a part of my personality that not many get to see.

I’ve begun to use my words more vocally in recent years, although I’m still anxiety-ridden. However, I still write letters here and there to express my feelings towards a friend or acquaintance.

More to me than just a skill

As I’ve begun my journey towards becoming a freelance content writer, I’ve focused on improving my writing. I’ve heard others say that writing is a skill that anyone can pick up. And while that may be true, to me, writing is more than just a skill.

It is my friend. It understands me like no one else. Has helps me manage my depression. It gives me confidence when confronting something or someone. Writing helps me communicate when my words become too scrambled to speak.

The words I’ve placed on paper has given me the voice that I’m still working towards vocally. My writing carries my emotions, and when I write and others read it, they feel it.

And what those who know me don’t know is that writing helps me to remember. As my short-term memory has faded over the years, it’s been difficult to remember. From conversations to what I’ve worn the day before, I’ve found myself scrambling to remember.

Which is why I have to always right down information. It can be embarrassing or frustrating at time. However, without writing I would be lost.

Conclusion

I could go on and on forever about why I write. To me, writing is such a passion and so effortless for me that I really couldn’t imagine doing anything else. And with my venture into blogging over this past year, I’m able to write even more.

Whether it’s a poem, another novel, or a blog post, writing has served a great purpose for me. It’s what I do, what I through my emotions into. It’s like breathing. And I get to share it with others.

So, tell me about some of the reasons why you write? What made you write? What is your favorite thing to write? Feel free to share in the comments down below. Like and share for others to see. And don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @NaciaSGS for updates and Instagram at thesilenttorch for daily affirmations, self-care tips, and more.

Until next time, this is Tammy saying keep strong, keep positive. And NOTHING’s impossible!!!