But I am Not a Writer

I just post stuff on Facebook!

This was my father’s advice for me and my sisters. There was a tiny shelf in the living room of our small cottage, brimming with books by writers from far and near.

I was a voracious reader. I loved writing. Both in school and college, my essays would bring me top marks. I experienced much pleasure in transferring my thoughts and feelings onto the paper. I knew there was a writer inside me.

After college, I married. Later, I got a job as a schoolteacher. Then had a kid. The demands of family and work made me shelve my creativity. For 15 years my ‘writing’ was work-related stuff. I wanted to write about my feelings towards things around me, but just didn’t. This I call the ‘hibernation years’ of my life.

Two months back I finally started writing for myself, on Medium and Vocal Media. Initially, it was difficult to get the words to flow freely as before. I even gave up for a week. But now I have picked up the pace. Ideas are blooming, words are falling into place. So how did I keep that creativity alive?

I did two things somewhat consistently— reading and writing.

“Clichéd advice”, you scream! Yes, I agree, but hear me out.

During my ‘hibernation years’, I didn’t read whatever I could — very much against my father’s advice — I managed 5 books for 15 years. I read more professional literature. I would read only job-related content — that too, fast scanning to absorb the key points.

I would skim through books and articles, searching for the crux of the story, and omit the unnecessary. This happened with all kinds of books, whether in pixel or in print. I constantly had this feeling in the back of my mind that this was a bad reading habit.

But later I realized that this is an accepted form of reading, called speed reading. Apparently there were other people who would skim for information instead of taking in everything on the page.

Well, not so bad then, thank you internet!

My wife had the shock of her life when I finished Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari in three days of after-work reading. Now don’t ask me for specific details from the book. I read and comprehended it then; new data has taken over that memory space ever since.

I agree such reading has no sustainability. One day I will definitely go back and reread all those books which I had sped through. But that helped to keep me interested in the activity of reading, at least. So keep that ember of reading inside you glowing, waiting for the right time to turn into a flame.

As part of my job, I had to write several kinds of reports. Student performance reports, reports to newspapers, class activity reports, etc were common. I enjoyed these assignments. I easily churned out 10-page reports within a day. The only complaint of superiors was that my writings had “too much verbal flab” for a technical document.

So I had to cut down on the ‘flab’ — lose the flowery language that I prided in — which was kind of good for my writing. Writing regularly helps polish the writer in you. Everybody and their uncle have told me this. Maybe that’s why this advice went under my radar. In fact, I was already doing the polishing — when I wrote emails, Facebook posts, and messages to friends!

Without me realizing it, this daily drill was keeping the light alive. Yes, I watered that sapling of words with every social media post and resume update!

The sapling has grown good roots. Now it needs some nourishment to grow into a beautiful tree that will bear fruits. I want to improve my writing. I want my words to make the reader think. I want my writing to help people imagine, to grow.

I realize that there is a long way to go, and this is what I have to do:

Remember, now is the best time to begin anything. Open up that editor and start typing. Let those emotions out. Let the world hear you!

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