Why am I a writer?

Well, that’s a pretty tough question. I write – a lot. I write for class, I write for my work outside of school, I write for my blog, I write for pleasure. Clearly, I just really like to write. It’s something I always remember being fondly keen on, and I guess that just never really changed.

When I was in fourth grade, my teacher told me that I wrote with voice, and that stuck with me. Her comment was like this weird but positive endearment that set me forth on this path of absolutely obsessing over writing. At a young age, I would write poems, songs and plays (none of which were that good, but hey, I was only ten!), and then that blossomed into journal writing. After solely just keeping a journal for a while, I realized that writing had become something more than just a hobby for me. So I branched out.

In this past year, I have written more than I have in my whole life collectively. It’s a pretty cool thing to see your work published, and I never feel any less excited about my new work, no matter how many new articles of mine come out. And that’s one of the reasons why I write. It excites me.

Written words explain the feelings I have a hard time conveying out loud. When someone hurts me, I write. When I love someone so immensely, I write. There’s just something special about being able to express your emotions so easily through poetic verses. I don’t know why it comes so easily, but I’m glad that it does. Because instead of holding in emotions I’m afraid to come to terms with or share, I’m able to turn that fear into something magical, never leaving anything unsaid.

After declaring my major as communications (with a focus in public relations and journalism), I started writing about ten times more than I did before – but I’m not complaining. I know some people say that doing something so much can ruin your passion for it, but majoring in something that revolves so heavily around something that I love so much has only made me further excel in the field. It made me more confident in what I create.

For anyone reading this, picking up the hobby of writing doesn’t mean you have to be the next Charles Bukowski. There’s no right or wrong with writing. Writing really is just the stringing together of letters and words, if you think about it. There really are no rules, with the exception of grammar, of course. So nothing you write for someone (or yourself) has to be perfect, because anything will be distinctive.

Think about it: when was the last time you received a well thought-out, handwritten note? Whether it was yesterday or five years ago, I’m sure you remember it – because something personal like that is wildly special. Handwritten notes, letters, or even just a longer text message stick in your mind because words are powerful. And that’s just it – that’s why I do it. Because I know that nice words will make people smile, deep letters will make people think and a handwritten note will make someone’s day.

And there’s nothing more special than connecting with someone through words.