7 strangers met at the Foxtail Bar - a cozy rooftop spot shaped like a pizza slice, facing shiny office buildings on one side and old conserved shophouses on the other. I was at a Write of Passage alumni meetup.
None of us write professionally, but we connected on writing with the same energy and laughter as old friends reminisce about adventures from decades ago.
We discussed our writing on LinkedIn, Twitter and Substack, and how each platform’s algorithm is a maze. We spoke about the encouragement when someone likes or comments on our writing. I related to that immediately as I have craved it. But writing for likes and comments is trying to control what I can’t control. Until I noticed this about myself, it would cause distress, and eventually I would pause writing.
Over time, I kept coming back to writing. As I reflect on why I did, I learned that writing serves me in many ways.
Writing creates space. Space to think deeply. Space to toil all by myself. Space to get lost as I scramble for the next sentence. It seems messy, but writing in solitude is peaceful just like it is when I sit in the prayer room of a Buddhist monastery. My normal daily routine is a random collection of a few of the following - family care, business meetings, coaching calls, engaging on LinkedIn, being distracted on Youtube, and sneaking chocolates and bread from the home pantry. Within this routine, writing creates a quiet space to think and slow down.
Writing makes learning stick. I learn constantly on topics like leadership, starting companies, psychology and therapy. I learn from conversations, books, podcasts and YouTube videos, however, it sinks in when I write about it. Otherwise, what I hear and learn stays in short term memory, and over time, floats away, like a cloud on a windy day. Without writing, learning doesn’t stick for long.
Writing delights. Writing is creating, and creating creates joy. The same joyfulness that a child feels when assembling lego pieces to create something unique. When I write, I feel like I am playing with the lego of words. How I assemble them becomes my writing, like this post. Children don’t always care what others think of their lego creation - they enjoy the process of creation. For me, an article or post I write is like a lego structure - I create it because that’s innate in me, and because it delights me.
Writing scares us. When I write, I see my inabilities. For example, I can’t be still for an hour and focus, as I fall prey to all sorts of distractions. Or that my thoughts aren’t coherent, ordered, or even engaging. Or that I try too hard to fit in the social order, and as a result, am inconsistent between what I say and what I feel. A view of my inabilities scares me, because it prompts the question - “what am I good at?” But fear is also beautiful, because it signals the direction in which I need to grow.
Writing reveals. When I write, I notice thoughts and emotions that are hiding within me. These thoughts and emotions are my inner demons - biases, insecurities, projections, blame (that I assign others) and limiting beliefs. While writing, I also find out the story I tell myself - about others, and the circumstances I am. Writing reveals my hidden side, and how I make meaning of whatever my 5 senses catch.
Writing serves. When I started writing publicly, initially on LinkedIn, I wrote because I wanted to create an online brand and seek opportunities. Like many other life pursuits, it served my interests. I didn’t realise that my point of view would serve others. But every now and then, someone tells me that what they read created an aha-moment for them. It was as if I had written their thoughts. People from as far as Brazil reached out for guidance. It proves to me that we consistently undervalue our own creation, but to someone else, it is a golden nugget.
Writing has been a great friend to me. It has helped me examine myself and learn. It has delighted me and brought peace when I needed it most. I wish to introduce my friend to you. But perhaps, what I really wish is that you find a friend who brings the same gifts and unexpected connections that writing brings to me.
Thanks to , , , Mich, Deepti, and Lionel for the lovely evening. Thanks to for reviewing drafts.
I’m very jealous you all were able to meet up! Chatting with Write of Passage alumni always leaves me buzzing with new ideas and a fresh enthusiasm for writing as well.
What a beautifully reflective post Amit! I resonate with so many of the reasons you write, and it was a wonderful evening, didn't feel at all like so many of us were meeting for the first time.