So I’ve decided to make “200 Words a Day” a series of sorts on this page. That’s not to say that I’ll be posting daily, but I like the idea of sharing the words that come out of this journey. Since I began this website, the writing has been very heavy hearted about love, heartbreak, depression, suicidal ideation and other related topics.
And I needed that, I needed to bleed into it.
But I suppose I’ve never really broken down what got me to start writing to begin with.
Well back during my Junior year of college (2013/2014) I was invited to the beta (as I’m sure many were) for writing on Linkedin prior to when that feature became available to all users.
So I wrote. And it seems like I wrote well.
My first article, 6 Books All College Students Should Read has nearly 29,000 views and counting. Within the first week, it surpassed 10,000 views. I was blown away by the statistics and written feedback I received for the article.
Prior to this, I had never really considered myself a writer. And funny enough, I’ve haven’t written anything as popular as that piece since. So perhaps part of why I still write is subconsciously wanting to surpass that work.
I kept writing on Linkedin throughout the end of college. To date, I’ve wrote 13 articles on Linkedin. But I slowed way down. Prior to posting Is Workplace Burnout & Culture Killing Us? On 8/8/2019, I had not posted an article on Linkedin since 12/12/2017.
*Calculates on Google*
Wow…. 604 days…. I went 604 days without posting an article to Linkedin.
I guess that gives you a good picture of where I had gotten to mentally when it came to work and professional endeavors. I was beyond burnout…. In hindsight, my late of desire to continue to the field through writing should have been one of the many warning signs I noticed.
But I digress.
So now I think I write because it helps me think through stuff… I’ve always been a bit of an over thinker… some great thoughts, some not so good. But a lot of thoughts always. And often, those thoughts would disappear as quickly as I conjured them.
Writing for me is therapy. And it’s a way for me to hopefully help others. To allow others a way to know they are not alone.
Why do you write? What got you started and why do you still do it?