Writing is not for lazy minds; it is not for those who cannot think beyond where they are or what they see. It is not for those who cannot think outside the box, nor is it for those who want to do it because others are doing it. It is not for those who have no purpose to which they write. It is for those minds that can think, brainstorm, and proffer solutions to some problems, situations, and circumstances, pass a message to society as well create an everlasting impression on people’s minds. Our writings mirror the society and serve as the eyes of the masses; it is not child’s play to be called a writer. You must live up to the task of a writer. ~John Chizoba Vincent
It feels like a balm to do this, and the lengthy quote above radiates enough inspiration to ignite a fire within. Yes, I haven’t written in a while, and this piece might read like a soliloquy of some sort, but here we go!
My daily routine became disoriented last March, and that stunted my writing.
But you know, there’s always an opportunity cost. Yep! My American friend‘ll say, “You gotta lose some’n to gain some’n”, and I totally agree.
So my routine changed because I was busy making money and subsequently also studying.
Well, it was disruptively good because sometimes you have to take a detour to achieve certain goals.
I had set 2 major goals for 2025..financial and academic
The academic target was achieved in early December, and the financial target may finally be achieved today.
I learned new things while training to be an English teacher, and as usual, I’ll be sharing those with you as time goes on.
I can tell you that in the last year, while I smiled to the bank, I always had that nagging thought about;
..how disorganised my life has been since I stopped writing regularly.
..how I’ve missed my favourite place, the River Lee walk, where I savour the serenity and beauty of nature while replenishing my cognitive resources.
..and how my early morning tranquillity turned to snappy preps to hit the road.
You see, my home office is my sanctuary.
Located in the attic, it is barely 6 square metres.
To my right is the most prominent feature. A whiteboard dotted with cards.
And beneath that, you have the essentials, a Viking swivel armchair, 2 separate desks joined to form a convenient L shape, a lamp, a double-decker file tray, a penholder, my laptop and of course a calculator!
The printer— probably used once a month and the bookshelf lay on my left.
And that’s it.
Yet this little space facilitates the manifestation of my creativity and intellect.
This is where I spend my mornings, communing with my creator, meditating, reading, writing and sometimes napping. This is where my routine begins.
So, when the recurring question..the one I’ve asked a million times and would keep asking, popped up this morning, I had to pen some words.
What do I hope to achieve by climbing to my attic home office every morning?
I don’t follow anyone else’s schedule, and I have no deadlines.
But I set them occasionally, like I did today, and even though I usually miss them, I won’t this time.
I’m in charge of myself, my time and my work.
Perhaps not always, but that’s how it’s often been.
None of my goals is set in stone.
There’s no mission statement hanging on a board.
I have a rough idea, or should I say several ideas that oscillate around my consciousness.
I operate on my own timeline. Real writers ie full-time writer probably hate my type.
I have no agent, editor or publishing deadline.
My writing isn’t for financial purposes, nor do I have to write to support my family. People who write full-time are the writers I admire most..as in those who sacrifice every convenient choice to write for a living.
I write..sometimes extensively and consistently, but rarely prolifically. Other days, I might change a few sentences and find myself stuck because something, a word, a sentence, a paragraph, doesn’t feel quite right.
There are days when my writing is poor, and other days I like what I write.
Yet there are days, weeks and even months I don’t write any sentence worth publishing.
But ultimately, I do it for myself. I consider just being here to do this an adequate achievement.
So to answer my question, which I will still ask tomorrow;
The core aim is to be in a space of my own and do what I love, which is writing.
Personally, I write to stay organised, chart a course, plan, teach, learn, inform, research, exhilarate..you name it.
Writing is an invaluable therapy.
I love it. I wish I could find more time to do it.
And despite the “breaks in transmission”, I’ll keep doing my best to live up to the task of a writer.
Yet, whether or not I publish is secondary to the sanity and purpose I find in this space. So I have little choice but to keep climbing up this attic, as it keeps my brain growing and the ink flowing!
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