The reason I keep writing is because that’s what I’ve done since I was around fifteen. At first, it was poems and short stories, then song lyrics, and later, with the internet, blog posts and books.
Hardly a day goes by when I don’t write, but I’ve never made it a daily ritual. However, most days I write between 1,000 and 1,500 words.
But does anyone read it? Probably not, because not everything I write has what you might call viral appeal. I write about what appeals to me, what I think might help some people, and occasionally I have something to rant about.
However, I apply the 80/20 rule roughly to my writing. It means that 20% of what I write will perhaps attract 80% of my readers. The other 80% of my writing may go unread. But that’s okay.
Why writers keep writing
I’ve written and published eighteen books, and about half did reasonably well, and the other half, um, to be blunt, they flopped.
But the odd thing for me was that, despite the nice reviews and feedback for some of the books that did well, I don’t think many readers actually understood my underlying message.
That’s the problem when wrapping allegories into fiction. Sometimes the superficial story is enough for most readers.
But that’s the deal. You take the readers you get.
For my articles, which I always enjoy writing, it’s not a dissimilar story. Sometimes I connect with readers, and sometimes I miss the mark. But I always write with readers in mind.
On this site, I’ve published around 1,000 articles, and hundreds more on my personal blog and other sites.
Have all of them been read? Surprisingly, from my analytics over the years, most have been. Well, at least a few times.
And only recently, I noticed that AI search has cited some of my very, very old articles. What a surprise! Everything old is new again?
In a way, while I believe, like most writers, that AI has stolen, copied, ignored copyright, and generally taken a carefree attitude toward using my writing, it might have an upside.
AI search is increasingly including more links and citations, so it may, in the end, be a positive and a new reason to keep writing.
Writing isn’t a team sport
Writing is a solo process of converting thoughts into words on a page. Any draft is a product of the heart and mind.
But revising and editing first drafts is a technical process of fixing mistakes and rearranging words.
A first draft doesn’t have to be good enough to publish. Sometimes it simply captures an idea before it disappears. Whether that idea eventually becomes an article, a chapter, or nothing at all is another matter.
Like most writers, I have a collection of unpublished writing. Sometimes, or even often, a draft is the result of thoughts that don’t quite work, create doubts in my mind, or need much more work.
But I keep writing.
I’m sure you’ve read advice saying that a writer should write every day. But I don’t follow this rule. I only write when I have an idea in my mind that I think is worth capturing.
Fortunately, that happens frequently, which means I write something most days.
The end result is that some of my writing makes it through my filtering process. It could be a new article to publish on my site, or a new chapter tucked away safely for a book.
Do I think about readers?
Yes, but only from the viewpoint of writing what I believe some people might enjoy reading, gain an insight, or learn something new.
But how many readers never cross my mind. That’s out of my control, but sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised.
If no one, or only a few, read a piece I publish, well, that’s writing. I’ve learned over the years that it’s impossible to write winners every time.
Yet I keep writing.
Why? Because that’s what I love doing.
I’m satisfied with small wins
Positive comments and book reviews are always pleasing. Even poor reviews have a positive side: at least someone read it and took the time to comment.
Little asides help too. A friend once told me they saw someone reading one of my books on a bus in Delhi. It might have been a second-hand, or even a pirated copy. But that didn’t matter.
Another reader posted a review saying that one of my books had helped lift their spirits during a tough time.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of the web now, I had to reluctantly close comments on my site. For every genuine comment I received, I was getting 1,000 or more spam comments.
But I still get contact messages, and they are mostly very positive.
My publishing and writing site gets hundreds of visits every day. That’s a big positive and a motivation for me to keep writing and publishing.
Even if one article, or just a few sentences in it, can answer someone’s question, or solve a problem, that’s a win in my mind.
I sometimes check my analytics, and the data usually tells me that some articles get a lot of views every month. That’s pleasing.
But if I scroll down, there are always many more articles that failed to get even one view during a month. That’s not discouraging, though. These articles are simply waiting there to help someone, someday.
It’s the same with my books. They are sitting there, waiting for someone, someday.
Conclusion
For most writers, there are far more misses than wins. That’s simply how it is.
For new writers, it can be a little disheartening when it seems that no one is reading. That’s why some give up.
But for those who persevere, collecting little wins helps the motivation to keep writing.
If I’d given up because success didn’t arrive soon enough, I would have quit writing before I was out of my teens.
In a way, writing is a little bit of a “fail better” process. Can I write a better failure next time?
I think I’ve been doing that wonderfully well since I was fifteen.
Related Reading: There’s No Right Way To Write A Book
English teacher, writer, and author. Passionate about grammar, creative writing, and self-publishing. Always exploring new tools and tech to help writers succeed.
