DON'T BE A WRITER BY NAME _ BY SUMAILA UMAISHA

Writing is what makes you a writer. Unlike other titles that can be assumed without the responsibilities they demand, the title of writer rests squarely on the act of writing.

So why go for weeks, months, or even an entire year without producing a single piece? That is not writer’s block; more often than not, it is procrastination and indiscipline.

Writing, by its very nature, requires discipline. To sit alone for hours, shaping a story or poem out of nothing but knowledge, imagination, and experience, is not a vocation for the faint-hearted. You must deliberately make yourself sit down and do the work.

Writing also demands consistency. Create a routine and commit to it. It may be early in the morning, late at night before bed, or any quiet moment in between when your mind is free enough to concentrate. At first, the habit may feel tedious, but with time it becomes natural. Eventually, missing a day of writing will feel as though something essential is absent from your life.

A writer also thrives on freedom, so you need not be rigid about the conditions under which you write. You do not need a polished desk or a luxurious chair. Your phone can become your notebook, allowing you to write anywhere and at any time. Even moments spent in transit can be productive, provided you are not the one behind the wheel.

To be a writer in truth and not merely in name, you must write. There is a reason God endowed you with the gift. Do not allow it to waste away.

© Sumaila Umaisha

- Nigeria