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The last week has been a roller-coaster ride in terms of writing.

Some days a 1000 words have arrived in less than two hours. On others I could only find 200. After looking for them the whole day.

But I’ve learned to take it easy on myself and enjoy writing, even on the days of famine. I can be my own best friend, try to know myself, and forgive myself, let my self be, and watch it just wallow in creativity with no end goal in mind.

This isn’t for all the days (there will be months of editing), but for now I can just write for the pleasure of it, and not cry buckets if the words don’t come.

But I've learned to take it easy on myself and enjoy writing, even on the days of famine.

Writers Write for their Own Joy

 

What about you? Do you take joy in your reading, writing and general day to day life?

Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

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79 Comments

  • Peter Nena says:

    I stopped writing for a while and started to become truly mad. The voices in my head were excessively loud and unmanageable; I formed a habit of chatting with myself and cachinnating in a thrilled voice, frightening those around me; my soul was constantly agonized. I write in order to keep sane. And to have the chance to really smile a genuine smile. I read to entertain the voices and pacify them; to calm my soul.

  • tinemagpayo says:

    “Some days a 1000 words have arrived in less than two hours. On others I could only find 200. After looking for them the whole day.”

    And some days we think the perfect words have finally arrived only to feel later on that those weren’t really the words we’re looking for. Oh the pain and joy in writing!!! 🙂

  • AnaSpoke says:

    I write for my own entertainment. I don’t care how many words end up on the page, as long as I have had a cracking good time doing it!

  • melodyspen says:

    I find that words tend to flow more freely when I’m writing for my own joy, than when I’m trying to meet a deadline. Thanks for sharing! Its nice to be reminded that others share common ups and downs, and that all we have to do is reach out to show or receive a little support from time to time. 🙂

  • I love sharing what my heart has to say. I write to connect and I haven’t read much in the past year since setting up my business. Tends to be writing or reading = seeking balance 🙂

  • debb says:

    I love reading. I love writing. I enjoyed reading this. It’s a reminder that whatever wordcount we get to on any given day is ok. We need to give ourselves permission to just “be” sometimes.

    Well said!

  • bettycollier says:

    Writing to me is seeing my thoughts come together on paper and then releasing them into places I cannot go. I am often inspired to write when I am feeling weary or happy or when I have heard a great song. writing helps me calm my emotions.

  • vanyieck says:

    I write to make sense of the world. I don’t understand very much, but I find the world funny.

  • fanuaafi says:

    writting fills the damp voids of whatever theres missing! follow my blogs at claudinesamuelu.wordpress.com

  • jazzytower says:

    I write for the joy of it, I write for therapy, I write to make a statement. And sometimes I just can’t write. I guess it’s something we all go through. Thanks for stopping by, come again.

  • Lindy Le Coq says:

    When I was young writing was a form of self-therapy. Later in life writing also helped me make sense of life’s vagaries. Now I am retired writing is another of many creative outlets that express my absolute joy about being. Thank you for liking my post Repurposed Poems.

  • 100 or 1000, write when you’re in the mood. The best story is written that way.

  • Goodness, you big soppy girl, pull yourself together. Nice picture tho.

    I can easy do 200, but I’ll write about BO or hoovering. Floating off to pixieland for a big 4000 is much tougher. Even then I’ll get too excited and post draft minus 6 on wordpress – ruins my literrrrary career 😉

    Seeya

  • I love this. Love the idea of ‘looking for words’. That’s exactly what it’s like for me, the right ones are out there, you’ve just got to find them!

  • jguenther5 says:

    Like most writers, for me, it’s like reading the classics. Having done it is a lot more fun than doing it in the first place.

    My record output is 10,000 words on a weekend. I’d changed from third person to first person, and the material was flowing very fast. The book was ultimately published as “Sail Away on My Silver Dream.”

  • Writing is a great joy. The words come easily; and if they don’t, I take a nap. Editing is the evil twin of writing. I despise him/her. If I ever become a success I’ll hire an editor. Keep the posts coming—love them.

  • Well stated as always, damyanti!!

  • Jemima Pett says:

    I find if I’m struggling with writing what I’m supposed to be working on, then something that’s queuing up behind will get worked on much easier. Then I can go back refreshed. Or not. Which can mean it’s not working so put t aside. There’s always another project to work on 🙂

  • Jude D'Souza says:

    Hi, Damyanti. I agree. It is difficult to find a topic for a post. But I find inspiration in the people I meet in my everyday life. So it has never been difficult. By the way, I still post on my blog- in case it has escaped your eye. The posts may not get indexed properly on your reader as I have not been regular at posting because of non-availability of an internet connection- a mixture of official apathy and our moving to a different place.:)

  • Marthin says:

    I’m pushing myself in to reading and writing. It’s hard in the first stage. It’s really enjoying.

  • Write for the pleasure of it–of course. That’s where we-all began. I am working on that, Damyanti. It’s so much easier to write when it’s fun. It just flows.

  • shoreacres says:

    There’s so much emotion in these comments – both positive and negative. I never think about whether writing is easy or hard. Instead, I focus on what it is I’m trying to communicate. When I’m satisfied, I quit. Sometimes it takes 300 words, sometimes 2500 – but I’m very careful to use only the number of words that are absolutely necessary! 😉

  • atempleton says:

    When I’m feeling my best or my worst is when I write the best. Thanks for this reminder to go easy on oneself.

  • Hi, Damyanti,
    I’ve learned to go with the flow where writing is concerned. Makes for a more peaceful existence.

  • What I’ve realized is the good days and the bad days, when looking back are just about the same, so I just write. I judge later when I’m not feeling hypersensitive 🙂

  • CassieRae says:

    I love that you make writing a ritual, even if the words are not coming. I am a high school English teacher, and we are reading Zinnser’s “On Writing Well.” He talks about writing no matter what, just like you do. My kids did not get it. I feel like sharing this post with them!

    Ooo, have you ever read Orwell’s “Why I Write” or the book titled the same? Fun to contemplate what pushes us to write!

  • Rodica Iova says:

    Most of the times I write because I feel that restless impulse inside that moves in me. But I do it everyday, I sit there and pour out whatever would come, I polish it, pray about it, hate it, love it, and not let go.

  • Rebel Sowell says:

    I love writing, too, but it’s never been easy for me. There are days when I feel like my writing stinks and I’ll never improve. I have to tell myself none of that matters because even if I’m never published I’m still a writer.

  • SangitaS says:

    Hey I have enjoyed your blog and have nominated you for liebster award http://talkabtbooks.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/liebster-awards-nominations-friday-finds/.. Its weird writing about it here on a post about writers write as they love it..but I still wish you find it as encouraging as I did

  • Ranting Crow says:

    I write for the love of writing. And to make it sound even more self centered, I write for me. While it can be read by many, that way there is no pressure and keeps it enjoyable for me.

  • Stuff Jeff Reads says:

    Joy in daily writing? That depends on what I am working on. If I am writing a blog post or something creative, then yes. If I am writing technical material (yes, a writer must earn money), then not so joyous. Thanks for your post, and keep up the writing. 🙂

    • damyanti says:

      I know I’ll sound corny but I try to take up tech projects I’ll enjoy. Things get done much faster.

      • Stuff Jeff Reads says:

        LOL – Not corny at all! It’s great that you have that luxury. I’m a salaried writer so I don’t get to pick my projects. Current project: Tab through every field in the UI, document what my expected results are and what the actual results are. (I’ve been hitting the coffee heavily.) Anyway, really like your blog. Keep up with the posts. Cheers!!

  • Jade Reyner says:

    Amen to that! Well said. 🙂

  • Vefday says:

    Writing is a learned process and I’m always learning, however what I considered good writing doesn’t come naturally to me and I often struggle.

    • damyanti says:

      I don’t know about good writing– good craft, yes. I find I need to go after truth, beauty would follow.

  • Your picture and post title enticed me back to WordPress from facebook! I love writing too. I now have two blogs and loads of ideas to write about. I enjoy challenges and competitions. Sue

  • I love writing when I’m “in” it, but sometimes getting myself to my pen & paper (or laptop) is a daunting task.

  • Dave says:

    I do try and enjoy reading and writing day to day regardless of whether I accomplished much of either. Joy in day to day life I’m still working on, but I’m getting better 🙂

  • scoobyclue says:

    I love writing … it’s the starting that gets me, because there is so much uselelss internet out there to enjoy, but once I start – I’m in it

  • Writing is always a joy.
    If it becomes a chore, I tend to leave it for a while, move onto something else.
    If my characters are alive, then so am I.

    Writing is a passion for me; unfortunately, time is always looming over my shoulder with other commitments that I need to see to.

    Therefore, while out and about, I tend to play out scenes from my stories in my head. When I return home, I’ll jot them down like little recipes which I’ll refer to the next time I have a writing binge.

    • damyanti says:

      My writing used to come in binges and famine too, still does sometimes, but I try to enjoy both. The more forgiving I am of myself, the more I get done.

  • I’m always satisfied when I get some real writing done. These days (since publishing less than 5 mo. ago) I seem to spend more time on social media, blogging, responding to emails etc.! 🙁
    (Obviously need to hone my time management).

  • Laurie Keim says:

    I find that routines and rituals, for example, the same coffee cup, entering the study at the same time, and other such preliminaries symbolize the continuity required and help relax the mind and keep it focussed.

    Cheers, Laurie keim

  • 20,000 words. Damn. And I was proud of 5,000 in that time frame. 🙂

  • destinyabel says:

    Reblogged this on Destiny Abel and commented:
    Something we all understand. Even the students going to their classes.

  • destinyabel says:

    I am experiencing that now! I just had a power weekend and wrote for 10 hours straight. It was somewhere around 20,000 words! Now, I get an idea to pull into what I have already created and it feels like my creative well is drained.

  • Perfectly said and………..they don’t call it writer’s block for nothing. 🙂

  • I agree that sometimes we need to go easy on ourselves! While I love writing and reading, there are days doing either is a struggle. Those are the days that I’ll go out and do something instead, so at least I can have a new (or familiar but fun) experience. I always come back to reading and writing again, which is the important part!

  • Lori Straus says:

    I definitely get days where I can also produce a high number of words in a very short time. I do find that eating well and getting good sleep (as much as young kids let me, of course) make a huge difference.

    • Damyanti says:

      Yep, that. I find I have to shake loose and cast easy. The rest follows, and if it doesn’t, I still have enough reasons to be happy.

  • Enjoy the pleasure of writing while you can/ Time to stress later.

  • Arlee Bird says:

    When I have written, I do take joy in what I have done. My problem of late is the motivation. I’m really having to push myself. I’m not deriving joy in the process some of the time, but when I’ve finished I do a mental happy dance and if I’ve got enough energy I might actually exert a physical effort to trip a light fantastic around my office.

    Lee
    A Faraway View

  • Lisa Alber says:

    Taking it easy on ourselves is key — even though I’m not much good at it myself. Nothing’s going to chase the words away faster than self-flogging.

  • mcwatty9 says:

    I love writing and reading! Do I like day to day life? Sure, on the days I get to write!

  • Yes. I write because I love it. I usually get about 1000 words an hour when I am in the groove.