the writer who hates writing

“I hate writing.” 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this claim throughout my life. Here’s the truth: that’s a lie. 

I actually love to write. I’ve kept a journal since I was 11 years old. In fact, I can’t not have a journal. I have bought notebooks specifically for trips, vacations, and seasons. So why have I always said that I hate writing?

I think I hate being forced to write. Newsflash, self: you hate being forced to do anything. 

Former English class writing assignments that required a formal paper always invited a headache. I spent long hours uncomfortably seated at the family computer in our living room, groaning internally and externally (yup, you guessed it–I’d say, “I hate writing!”) and drowning in mental complaints. I’d finish the paper at 2 am and head upstairs but found that I couldn’t fall asleep until I penned thoughts into my journal. 

Oh, the irony. 

I’ve tossed around the idea of creating my own blog for several years but the pressure of being forced to write prevented me from taking initiative. So to begin, I am setting an incredibly important expectation in my very first post: nobody around here is being forced to do anything!

Bon voyage!