THE ART OF WRITING Free Course Part 1 Why Write?

1.  Why Write

There are as many reasons to write as there are people who write. We can write for enjoyment, self-discovery, healing, learning, inspiration, information, entertainment, service to others, connection with others, documenting events, immortalizing people, holding someone accountable, and feeling purpose and fulfillment.

I began writing to heal myself. The writing was a way to it get it out of my head and onto paper. Then to expand myself by reflecting on it. When I am ready, I share stories that I believe can empower, inspire or inform others. I give myself permission to keep some stories private until I heal from those events. It is our choice when and if to share any of our writing.  

Writing my collection of short stories from my life was motivated by all the people who told me hearing my stories helped them and could help others. 

I write to express my feelings stimulating my immune system; reflecting on it allows me to process, get clear and heal. Writing expands me, and sharing it is deeply fulfilling. 

One way to begin writing is to choose something we are curious about and play with words like a child exploring free from judgments. For example, I choose a spontaneous exploration of imagination in words below … Writing About Writing.

 Writing can make us into human Kintsugi, the Japanese art form of repairing shattered pottery with golden joinery. The page can be a place to receive our truth, helping to put us back together again, giving us more character and individuality, and making us more beautiful than before we were broken.

Writing can be like;

1. An autumn wind removing leaves to reveal the skeletal structure of our forest 
2. A volcanic eruption that throws debris and spews toxic gasses, which then transform into fertile soil 
3. Cleansing rain that clears confusion and clutter that collects around disappointment
4. Gale force winds that rip away all not firmly grounded, leaving the essential truth 
5. Recording subtle things before fragile feelings evaporate like mist
6. Waves of tender feelings washed up on the shore of self
7. Sharing authentic places with people, we may never meet
8. Telling our truth to a stranger without drinking, so we remember it 
9. Going to therapy without an appointment or cost other than our time 

We may not know why we write until after we write it. Putting it down, stepping back, and getting perspective may be necessary to truly hear the words. Sometimes, sharing the writing with someone else can allow us to hear it more deeply. It isn’t necessary to know why or even what we want to write to begin writing. Sometimes we won’t know what we have to say until after we say it. We may discover what we have to say by writing it, stepping back, and reading it later. By following our instinct to write, we may discover things we didn’t know we felt, thought, or knew. We may have to write for a time, maybe a long time, before we uncover what we are trying to say. Our feelings can be submerged so deeply that they are hidden from us until we excavate them by writing. Explore yourself and uncover hidden treasures. It is a good use of your time to be curious about yourself. Coming to know your own closest and most constant companion, yourself, is worth the investment of your energy to do so. Investing in a writing project is an act of faith in your self-worth. 

I began writing to have someone to talk to. The blank pages became my trusted friend. Writing is a way to record my feelings, thoughts, and events, allowing me to recall them later accurately and comprehensively later. Writing became a way to process complicated things. A way to set down difficult feelings, walk away and begin healing. Writing can be a way to express any and all hurts safely. Then writing evolved into a way to share what I have learned to help others, which helps me. 

Writing is believing in yourself. It is self-nourishing. Offering it to help others is gratifying.

Next Lesson in the course coming soon!

Read my memoir ➡️ https://www.incandescencebook.com/

See my videos ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/@The_Creativity_Show