Writing | Journey So Far
So, I’m about to tell you a little story. Okay, maybe not a story but close to it. It’s about how I started writing. Officially, it began two years ago. Surprised? I know. Before then, it was scribbles and unfinished stories. I wasn’t sure what I was doing. I still scribble though. I know some people who would say they started writing when were still in the womb, literally. Some started writing when they were as young as five and ten. They had guidance too. Mine didn’t start then, besides school essays and homework, I mean. I never had guidance too. Being a non-native English speaker made it more difficult. In this part of the world, English language is the recognised and official language. You have to not only know how to speak it, but write it as well. I wrote better than I spoke then. Almost all the subjects in preschool and junior high school was taught in my native dialect. So you understand how hard it was.
I can’t tell if I had those ideas and creativity then. The only thing I’m sure of is that I was very interested in books and reading. I didn’t have access to many literary books anyway, but I clung to the few I could lay my hands on. Then, during my second year in high school, I was officially introduced to novels. My friend brought one to school. Bride in Blue by Miranda Lee. I’ll never forget it. It was the first romance novel I read. I’m not sure I understood all of it but I read till the end. That was kind of my moment of liberation. LOL. I discovered something innate inside of me, a hunger that only books can satiate. I never looked back ever since. But reading wasn’t enough, I knew I had to work on my written and spoken English as well, so I began to teach myself. The books helped tremendously.
Two years ago, I stumbled upon something on Facebook. I had talked to an acquaintance of mine earlier about my interest in writing. I needed guidance. She saw the advert – about an online fiction writing course – and asked me if I was still interested. I said yes and she paid. This was someone I hadn’t spoken to in two years. She remembered. I was thrilled.
The course lasted for about two months. Basic things for beginner writers were thought. Assignment were given. Interactions were top notch. It as just beautiful. No one was left behind. The facilitator was something else, she carried everyone along. After the course, I was reborn. Yeah, you read that right. That was when I began to trust myself and my instincts. That was when I began to write.
Today, I can’t say I have it all figured out, no one does, not even the best selling author, but I’m happy to be where I am. I’ve got published works on some very picky online literary websites, so yeah, I’m proud of myself and how far I’ve come. And I’m not finished yet. Passion led me here. I plan to see it through to the end.
What about you?
What are your thoughts?
i dont have passion for writing. if at all it exists, it must be a selfish one. mostly to escape something. other than that, nothing.
Well, that's you. Everyone can't write. There has to be a balance.
And there's passion for writing, sometimes to give back, other times because you need to express. And there are those who write because they do not know how to do it otherwise. It's inborne. Comes natural to them. Doesn't make them selfish.
The "selfish" path was directed to me.
Beautifully written as usual @chinyerevivian. So proud of your self-development process! You write with such amazing fluidity and it's a fantastic testimony to how far you have come. Change thought to taught in the second to the last sentence of your first paragraph.
Thank you, Mosun. Much appreciated.
This is good work @chinyerevivian, as it progressed I loved it more. I usually don't like reading bulky text as I get bored and zone out along the line. But you found a way to keep my interest till the end.
I'm not a very good writer, the ideas to write from scratch just don't come for me. But I've found out that I'm an amazing editor. And that is good enough for me.
I remember reading your work on a stach curation show, it wasn't this finesse, your progress clearly speaks for itself.
Beautiful piece dear 👍👍
I've dropped a little token to reward your activity on the server and to encourage you to keep writing quality.
Courtesy @winarobert
Thanks, @winarobert. This isn't a bulky text na. Lol.
I think I edit better than I write too. We always find it easier to correct and mend than write from scratch, I guess.
And write more. I'd love to read.
Anything over 300 words is long for me. That's why I said it was long.
Well I have to, but exception work comes once in a while for me when writing.