Why I Started Writing Again: A Journey of Reflection and Expression

Why Did I Start Writing?

In today’s world, does anyone really read anymore? Isn’t learning from books outdated? Isn’t there a video for this? These are all phrases we hear often, aren’t they? It’s true that people read less than they used to, but it’s also true that the power of writing and the written word hasn’t diminished. I’d love to say, “I write just for myself, who cares if others don’t read it,” but like anyone who creates, I too want my writing to reach an audience. Despite all its benefits, it’s evident that writing often doesn’t attract as many readers as it deserves. So, why did I start writing anyway?

Where Did This Writing Thing Come From?

Actually, it’s not a new thing. I started my first blog years ago when it was trendy to have a blog. My blog was more of a place to take notes on technical stuff. During my university years, I was into Linux, using Fedora, and I had a tough time getting the sound driver to work. After finally solving the issue, I thought I should document the solution somewhere permanent. That’s how the blog idea started. Then, I began writing little by little about the things I learned. Since I didn’t care about readers, I kept it going for years. When I started working, I didn’t have as much time, and the blog just sat there for years. A few years ago, I completely shut it down. But I didn’t stop starting new blogs here and there. One of them is still up. Later on, I wrote articles for women developers (it is a Turkish community for women developers) and got some great feedback. It felt amazing that people appreciated what I was writing. So, my writing journey isn’t exactly brand new.

Even though I love writing, I’ve always found it hard to sit down and start. Or I’d write something and never be satisfied with it, so I wouldn’t publish it anywhere. Unfortunately, I’ve left many pieces of writing unfinished. I don’t think I have a natural talent for writing, but then again, how necessary is talent to do something? That’s a whole other debate. I enjoy writing, trying to express my thoughts in an organised way, and pushing myself. That’s reason enough for me to keep writing regularly. I’ve never really made time for it, though. For several years now, I’ve been keeping a journal, though not very regularly. Sometimes, I only write once a month, but I still write. For me, it’s just a form of therapy. Keeping a journal helped me get into the habit of writing more quickly. As with everything, practice has made me better.

The Medium Account…

Actually, my turning point was Elon Musk! Elon Musk? What does he have to do with this? I can almost hear you asking.

Twitter is the only social media platform I use regularly. After Elon Musk bought Twitter, we started hearing a lot of unpleasant things. When I heard about the layoffs, like many others, I thought about leaving Twitter. But I couldn’t. Twitter is a place where I draw a lot of inspiration. I get to write down my thoughts, connect with people, and expand my perspective. Creating a space like that from scratch on another platform would be tough. But then I realised something: all the content I’m creating is stuck on Twitter. If Twitter were to collapse, all my work and network would disappear too. So, I thought, instead of jotting down my thoughts in short tweets, I should turn them into proper articles that will stay with me. That’s when I decided to start using Medium, a platform widely associated with blogging today. From this, you might guess that I’ll eventually create my own blog, because Medium is still someone else’s platform.

I’ve said before that I really want to write. Writing regularly helps you organise your thoughts and express them more clearly, which improves your communication skills. Plus, the process of writing activates your brain, enhances your focus, vocabulary, and language abilities, and improves your communication skills. Another benefit is sharing your thoughts freely with others and finding people who resonate with your ideas.

This is my seventh article since I started on Medium. I aim to write every week, but I know that’s not realistic. Moving forward, I want to make sure I write at least once a month. I understand how important motivation is, and if my articles are read and help others, I’ll find the motivation much more easily. Don’t forget to support me with your comments! If you want to develop your writing skills, you can start by setting a goal to keep a journal in the new year.

Note: This article was previously published on Medium.