(IJCH) Writers Write. They Can't Help it. But Everyone Needs to Write too!

IJCH - Inside JaiChai's Head (meaning: My warped, personal opinions and musings)

From the Author

Salutations.

I am JaiChai.

And if I haven't had the pleasure to make your acquaintance, it's always nice to meet a fellow Steemian.

This article will discuss why everyone needs to write, why I (and so many other writers) JUST HAVE TO WRITE, and why writing is a great tool for self-improvement.

Write For Success - at Anything

If you want to be successful at anything, you can’t escape the necessity of writing.

Whether you own a business, work in a company, or serve in a government organization, you must be able to write effectively.

When you’re employed in an organization, the higher you advance up the corporate ladder, the more administration you are responsible for.

This was plainly self-evident when I was in the military.

The administration aspects of my job increased commensurate to the advancements in my rank.

Every new position required more and more managerial documentation, supervisory reports, and military training record archival.

The bureaucratic red tape was strangling me!

I was constantly reprimanded for submitting poorly written reports and sloppy subordinate evaluations.

Up to that point in my career, I hadn’t thought much about anything but having fun and doing my job. But as the promotions came, so did their accompanying administrative burdens.

It’s the same in the private and public sectors. In fact, because there is no automatic protocol of respect for rank in those arenas, a person’s writing is often scrutinized more severely.

Add to this mix the keen competition from rivals and the ever-increasing profit motive, and you have a scenario that requires all upper management/executive level employees to write well.

Sure, some executives delegate a lot of their administration to their subordinates, but the ultimate responsibility for any outgoing administration rests squarely upon the head of the issuing authority.

Clearly, then, the ability to write well (meaning: clear, accurate, and concise written communication) is vital for professional success.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

Writing is an underused method of obtaining self-knowledge.

Many people don’t realize that writing reveals the author to him/herself. It’s an honest mirror of one’s expertise, experiences, mood, thoughts, perceptions, and personality.

When practiced regularly, writing becomes a vehicle for introspection and a powerful planning tool for success.

All writing (e.g., diaries, business letters, love letters, instruction manuals, articles, stories, books , etc.) can be used in this manner.

Great people know this.

They fully appreciate the power of writing. In fact, all successful people use writing as their main tool for examining themselves, their activities, their past experiences, their present endeavors, current results, and future plans.

Either by instinct or by training, these people know that most thoughts are fleeting.

They are obsessive about capturing their inspirational thoughts and can be seen jotting down their muses at anytime, in anyplace.

Anything that is (or may be) significant, but can’t be addressed immediately, is recorded on something – anything (computer files, notepads, scrap paper, and even restaurant napkins).

In fact, the beginnings of several great inventions, blueprints, and business ideas were first recorded on makeshift writing surfaces; hurriedly scribbled on toilet tissue, palms, airplane magazines , and newspaper margins.

Since these notes are usually private, they can be “free-form.”

There’s no fear of editorial criticism. There’s no pressure to be grammatically correct. Misspellings are forgiven as long as you know what you mean.

Warning: Woo-Woo, Philosophical Moment to Follow

Manifest:

To reach through the veil separating thought from reality and making your desires readily available for your present experience; ideas made into what we perceive as physical objects or “real life” experiences.

But to manifest anything into your physical reality, you must know, in detail, exactly what you want.

All Success Coaches, Prosperity Mentors, and Manifestation Experts will tell you that writing is vital in creating your ideal life.

Unless your desires are written down, they are merely flights of fancy, weak wishes that fade with the outgoing tide of mood and motivation.

Many people don’t come anywhere close to properly thinking about what they want; because, mainly, they don’t really know exactly what they really want! They can’t describe it with detail.

They don’t write it down.

They don’t make it concrete. Even though it’s a simple process and only takes a few seconds, most people fail to simply write down their desires.

If you don’t record your ideas and desires, you are running the risk of letting them fade away.

Unwritten ideas are too easy to forget and are like all precious, little babies – they will die if neglected.

If you don’t nurture them, they die a totally preventable death . Yes, they may linger for awhile, but eventually these “newborns” die a sad, miserable death ; reaching out for your love, care, and attention until the bitter end.

Write your ideas and desires down somewhere, anywhere!

Scribble them down on anything available at the time – a notepad, scrap paper, napkin, and if you have to: even your hand – anything!

You never know when inspiration might strike. Jot down something, anything to jog your memory in the future.

Later, when you have time, type them into a private file on your computer or write them down in a personal journal.

Satisfying the Cravings

Aside from the self-knowledge and success benefits of writing for everyone, why do writers, especially professional writers in the “dog-eat-dog” world of selling prose, continue to put their thoughts on paper?

Why is writing so fulfilling to millions of magazine/newspaper writers and book authors?

Simply put:

Self-Expression and Creation.

Compared to the general public, writers intensely crave self-expression and the process of creation.

Look at Me, Listen to Me!

On the human emotional/psychological needs pyramid, the need for self-expression is very close to the summit (up there with love, recognition, and trust).

Writing is a universal way of satisfying this need.

For many writers, expressing themselves on paper is preferred over verbal communications.

Some writers are naturally shy, introverted in public; but brave and extroverted on the written page. They use their writing as an outlet for their alter egos.

Others occupy sensitive positions (i.e., managerial or executive positions) in the corporate world or within a public organization and cannot voice their true opinions without serious repercussions.

A good example of this is Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. He was an anglican cleric, mathematician, photographer and artist.

But you probably know him as Lewis Carroll author of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland".

Both the shy writer and the executive usually write under pen names until circumstances clearly show that cloaking their identity is no longer needed.

And still others (myself included) neither suffer from shyness in public, nor have a sensitive or executive level job; but choose to write mainly because of the sheer number of people I can reach through writing versus teaching a class, or speaking at a function.

The Joy of Creation

A wise man (my father) pointed out that MAN can easily kill and destroy; but only God (Gaya, the Universe, etc.), and those in tune with God, can truly CREATE.

When a writer creates his handiwork, he can feel that spark of divinity; that joyful state of playing with the Universe.

It’s like building those sand castles when you were young – so fun, so absorbing, so purposeful.

Writing with passion makes the hours pass like minutes. In fact, on many occasions, I’ll be in the rapture of writing a personally cathartic story, article, or book chapter and my girlfriend has to remind me to eat!

When I’m “in the flow” of inspiration , writing becomes a delicious, highly personal, exhilarating experience.

It seems like I can’t type fast enough to express my thoughts on the page! And with every word, I feel more and more power and joy.

When I create a particularly imaginative or poignant article, story, or book; I feel weightless, my soul takes to flight, and I view myself from a higher perspective.

Filled with indescribable awe, the only thing I can do is smile and tell myself “Wow, imagine that...”

True writers write mainly for themselves.

These brave souls write with a “damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead” attitude.

So what if nobody likes or agrees with them?

They still write.

They can’t help it!

It’s an obsession that provides enormous personal gratification, public recognition, and monetary rewards (ranging from supplemental income to abundant wealth).

I fall into this category.

I have only two choices when it comes to writing: Empty my thoughts on paper or never go to sleep!

A Great Business Model

Speaking from a strictly business standpoint, writing is a great business model. It’s an effective way of obtaining perpetual residual income.

Any successful businessman will tell you that trading time for pay is the least effective method of making money. Think of it, there’s only twenty-four hours in a day. And if you don’t put in the hours at work, you don’t get paid.

Writing a book for sale is a “work-once-pay-indefinitely” endeavor.

If popular, one good book can produce royalties for decades!

Are you taking full advantage of the power, joy, and benefits of writing everyday?

By JaiChai

Many thanks for reading my post. And if you enjoyed it, please: Upvote, Follow, Comment and Resteem.

- JaiChai "My mind was a terrible thing to waste..."

About the Author

He is a retired U.S. Military veteran. Believing that school was too boring, he dropped out of High School early; only to earn an AA, BS and MBA in less than 4 years much later in life – while working full-time as a Navy/Marine Corps Medic.

In spite of a fear of heights and deep water, he freefall parachuted out of airplanes and performed diving ops in very deep, open ocean water.

He spends his days on an island paradise with his teenage daughter, longtime girlfriend and three dogs.

Parting Shot -