Here we are with part ten of the Writer Chats series, brought to you by Asha, a writer who combines stories and recipes at her food blog Dinner She Wrote. Like us, Asha believes that “what speaks to me, speaks to another,” and perhaps that’s why I resonate so much with what she’s written here. When she talks about her challenging relationship with writing as a love she keeps coming back to, I get it. When she explains how the power of connection can be intoxicating, I get that, too. And her conclusion is the same one I keep coming to: Keep writing, keep writing, keep writing.
Writing is a relationship like no other. Despite the challenges we’ve had over the years, and the ones yet to come, despite the months of silence or the fraught late night frustrations, despite the constant inner doubts and the numerous unfinished projects gathering dust on the shelf of my dreams, I always, always come back to my pen and paper; and I try. I try to find a way to make it work. Why? I’m not sure that love needs an explanation. I write because I love to write. I write because I am a writer.
I write because it is the place where one’s hopes, dreams, shattering failures and jubilant successes can be expressed… that silent space between pen and paper is a sacred space that logical interference seldom reaches. A space where one can express authentically, gut-wrenchingly truthfully and perhaps share. Whilst I do not always write to share, it so often is the connecting force of my work; for what speaks to me, speaks to another and shared experiences are the stuff life is made of. The joy of my first publication was made ever more beautiful for the joy of connection it provided another.
If I am being really honest with myself and with you; this last point is an interesting one. Fueled by my readership, I sought to follow suit with ever more interesting, engaging and connecting work. And in the pursuit of that goal, the labour of love was lost. No wonder then, that I have not written for some time; for I have not been writing for writing’s sake. If we are writers, then we must write, for the love of writing; any consequent rewards, are a bonus.
Those are my thoughts. I would love to hear yours.
Editor’s Note: Thank you so much, Asha, for your on-the-money perspective here! For the rest of you, if you’re interested in posting here about your writing process, let us know. We are still accepting submissions for this series. You don’t need to be a blogger to contribute; you just need to have something to say about what it means to write or what the writing process looks like for you.
About Shanna Mallon
Shanna Mallon is a freelance writer who holds an MA in writing from DePaul University. Her work has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The Kitchn, Better Homes & Gardens, Taste of Home, Houzz.com, Foodista, Entrepreneur, and Ragan PR. In 2014, she co-authored The Einkorn Cookbook with her husband, Tim. Today, you can find her digging into food topics and celebrating the everyday grace of eating on her blog, Go Eat Your Bread with Joy. Shanna lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with Tim and their two small kids.
“If we are writers, then we must write, for the love of writing” – Asha, these words, so simple, and yet so complex, are a truth that I continually need to hear! Thank you for this lovely post.
Me too, Lindsey.
You’re welcome; I’m glad it served as a reminder for you too 🙂
This is a lovely post I can really relate to. I really believe in doing things, including writing, for their own sake. With writing, it’s so true that somehow, it loses its spark when done for rewards or to please others. I also love how you describe the “silent space between pen and paper” as sacred, very beautiful. Thank you 🙂
So true, Helene. Well said.
I have to agree with you Helene, most things in life are best done for their own sake, but we can often lose sight of that. Thank you for your comment, it really is sacred, that what connects us to our spirit…… Keep writing!