Reasons why I started writing articles on an online platform
and how it has helped me
Anne Frank once said, “I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
Speaking about myself, I am neither a professional writer nor a student of literature. Very recently, I gathered the courage to sign in on the American blogging platform “Medium” and start publishing my work.
Why did I begin to write?
To utilize my free time:
After my semester exams ended, I practically had plenty of time at hand, which I wanted to utilize in the best possible way. Initially, I kept myself engaged in reading books and watching web series. Ultimately, when boredom set in, I started looking for new ventures where I could make use of my creative skills to the fullest, and that is when I decided to start writing.
To hone my writing skills:
In the words of the famous American journalist and blogger Robert Stacy McCain, “writing is a skill, not a talent, and this difference is important because a skill can be improved by practice”. I remember doing a lot of journaling when I was in school. However, with time, I lost touch with the habit. After a few years, I observed that whenever I tried to write something, be it a simple sentence, I had to think thrice. In the interim, due to the laxity of time, I never got the opportunity to revive the same. However, this year I resolved to start all over again and hone my lost skills because nothing comes easily without dedication and practice.
To fulfill my passion for blogging and to reach an audience:
When I was a kid, I used to write down the day’s events in my small diary. Perhaps it is from those days that a passion for starting my blog someday was always there at the back of my mind. At the beginning of 2022, when I was contemplating starting writing again on a daily basis, I initially thought of writing down whatever I wanted to, either in a diary or on any online journaling website where no one except myself would be able to access them. However, after doing a little bit of research and after scouting several journaling and blogging websites, I realized that I want my work to be visible to the public. Essentially, my goal is to write not only on random topics, but also about issues that excite me, that I am passionate about, and about which I want to be heard by others.
Being an introvert, many times it gets difficult for me to open up in public. I am more of an observer than a speaker since my surroundings make me conscious. However, writing on an online platform seemed like a much more viable and easier option where I could easily express my opinions and ideas before a huge audience without getting too worked up about who would think what. Besides, the feedback from the readers is always a cherry on top.
To have a better understanding of how the blogging market works:
For the longest time, it was my dream to write blogs and issue the same. However, what I did not know was how to go about the entire process. The urge to know and have a better understanding of the blogging market has been another reason why I started writing on an online publishing platform.
How has that helped me so far?
- Ever since I started writing, I have forgotten what boredom means.
- It has helped me to keep unwanted thoughts at bay because I spend most of my time curating one write-up or another or looking for publications where I can pitch my stories.
- Writing has made me more confident about myself and my opinions. With the readers appreciating my work, I feel much more entitled to my views and notions.
- My writing skills have improved from before.
- The keyboard and the computer screen have become my best friends. Whatever it is, be it happiness or sadness, I try to write down everything as it makes me feel lighter.
- Previously, I always avoided making any comments on an online platform for fear of receiving criticism. However, now the same criticisms make me happy since they give me a chance to improve my loopholes.
To conclude, I am still very new to this platform as I have just started out and have a long way to go before I can achieve any feat. Yet, I hope this write-up encourages someone out there who wants to start writing about things that they are passionate about.
As rightly pointed out by Stephen King, “good writing is often about letting go of fear and affectation.”
