Why I write

“When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.” – George Orwell

“I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.” – Flannery O’Connor

Writers have many different reasons for writing.

I think its really important if I’m doing something to consider why I am doing it. Here are my reasons for writing, and making writing a weekly habit:

1) As a challenge in itself

With the rising use of the internet, smartphones, chatting apps and new ways of communicating and accessing information, our lives are completely changing . We have so much information available at our fingertips, and so many distractions going on. There are reports that The internet is making us stupid.

It is so easy to be a consumer of all this information and to constantly be reactive. To me, writing is an exercise in proactivity, focus and being a producer rather than a consumer.

I’ve found writing quite difficult. It’s not easy to spend some time writing when there are so many other things going on. I want to make writing a habit as a way to push myself and I think I should. It is also a bit uncomfortable in some ways.

There are other similar challenges that I have taken such as “going to the gym each day” which has had huge benefits on my life. I think writing is similar, and the habit itself of setting goals and achieving them can bring huge benefits.

I recommend the app “Stride” which I have been using recently and has been very helpful for keep track of goals and progress.

2) To improve my writing ability

If writing is an important skill that we spend most of our education practicing it, why should we stop? I write many times throughout the day such as in emails, proposals, and it is one of the most important ways of communicating. Communication is so important, and I want to be better at it.

3) To learn and widen my knowledge of Education and China

The more I am working in the field of education in China, the more I am learning. I want to learn more about it, and writing is a great way to do that. While preparing an article I find myself learning many new things. Improving my knowledge can be hugely valuable to help to make better decisions.

4) An Exercise to Improve The Quality and Clarity of Thought

I have always found something amazing about putting thoughts down on paper. It forces you to think more clearly, and you can see your thoughts from another perspective. Often I will be able to think more logicaly, or see new opportunities.

In this way writing can be a great way to improve the clarity and quality of thinking. A study as written in the The Atlantic shows how a school in New York greatly improved students overall performance by focusing on improving students writing skills.

5) Share my knowledge and help others

I think there are a lot of misperceptions about China. Its really hard to know what is happening in China from outside. One of the reasons is that China is changing so fast. There are many people who are not making the best decisions because they don’t have the right information.

We now have the platforms available to share our knowledge. Why not share it to make the world a better place and help other people. I am so grateful from all I have learnt from others who have done that. It makes sense to help others if you can.

6) Attract Similar People

I think authenticity is really important. We should make an effort to put our real selves online, just as we should in any other way in life. The internet is basically an extension of ourselves, and it is an opportunity to be authentic.

I am grateful for reading articles of people and I have learnt a lot from them. I have often reached out to some people who have shared some thoughts online and some opportunities have come from it. I think I should do the same.

By writing articles I think it can be help to attract similar people who have similar goals and there is potential for cooperation and more opportunities.

This has happened far more than I ever expected. In the last 2 months I have had a number of new customers, partnership proposals, high-quality job applications, and invitations to speak.

7) I enjoy it

Its quite fun to write. It also doesn’t need anyone else. I can just relax, focus and do it, anywhere, any time. Its also quite a creative process and helps me to explore and develop some of the ideas I have.

I have a lot of ideas and have always been writing them down as a way to get them out of my system so I can get on with other things. If I am writing anyway, why not put them online?

Thanks for reading

Here is an essay by George Orwell, about “Why I write“