Summary

The article discusses the compulsive nature of some prolific writers, suggesting that their productivity may stem from an uncontrollable need to write, akin to an addiction or obsessive behavior.

Abstract

The author, an African American heterosexual woman, reflects on the unspoken privilege of critiquing one's own group and applies this to the writing community. She acknowledges the shared experiences of many writers, such as overcoming adversity and using writing as a form of healing or coping. The article delves into the author's personal history with writing, revealing that her prolific output is not just a choice but a compulsion, possibly linked to a condition known as hypergraphia. This condition is characterized by an intense desire to write, which may be influenced by brain chemistry, particularly dopamine levels. While the author is concerned about this compulsion, she also recognizes the positive aspects of her writing habit, including its therapeutic effects. The article concludes with a note of caution, emphasizing that the discussion of mental health issues should be taken seriously and that her personal experiences should not be taken as universal advice.

Opinions

The author believes that prolific writers often share common life experiences, such as facing challenges and using writing as a means of healing and helping others.
She suggests that the drive to write excessively may not always be a voluntary choice but rather a compulsion, which some writers might feel reluctant to admit.
The author hints at a possible self-diagnosis of hypergraphia, a condition characterized by an overwhelming urge to write, and considers it both a blessing and a potential mental health concern.
She emphasizes that her prolific writing is an intrinsic part of her life and that ceasing to write could lead to depression.
The article implies that the connection between creativity and brain chemistry, particularly the role of dopamine, could be a factor in hypergraphia.
The author encourages readers to seek their own understanding of mental health issues and not to view her experiences as professional advice.
She acknowledges that other prolific writers may share her perspective on the compulsive nature of writing but may choose to keep it private,

The Dirty Little Secret Some Prolific Writers Fail to Reveal

How else would you define obsessive, addictive, and compulsive behavior?

Somewhere, there’s an unwritten rule that says: If you’re part of the group you happen to be bashing, you somehow get a free pass.

Whether that should be true or not is definitely debatable, but the reality of the statement is accurate in most instances.

I’m an African American, heterosexual woman who was born and raised in the hood. That means, for the most part, I can justifiably talk about crazy, loud talking, will get in your face, black women all day long.

Of course, that’s just an example (and maybe not a very good one) of why I feel justified to discuss the issue of prolific writers and the secrets we live with.

Yes, I may very well fall into the category of the black woman I described in my example — to a more or lesser degree — but the subject at hand has to do with why I’m such a prolific writer, and whether or not that’s actually a good thing.

Why do prolific writers work so hard?

In all honesty, I can’t speak for any other writer’s situation but my own, prolific writers or otherwise. But it can’t go unnoticed, how much we writers, as a group, seem to have in common, no matter what part of the world we live in.

As one of the more prolific writers on Medium, though fairly new to the site, I’ve read countless stories from similar, equally productive writers, as a way to acquaint myself to their writing community.

In the process of reading a lot of great stories from talented and diverse writers, here’s what I noticed:

Many writers have lived, or are still living challenging, if not difficult lives
Many writers have overcome tremendous odds, and live to write about it, as a way of helping others.
Many writers are finally acknowledging and letting go of their pain and they write to heal
Many writers are currently in the midst of dealing with pain and suffering, and write to cope

The above situations, or some variation of those situations, is what I’ve noticed, mainly because I relate to those groups.

As a product of abuse as a child, and living through the foster care system, as you might expect, my adult life also became problematic in many ways.

During my ups, downs, and in-be-tweens, writing was always the constant, so becoming a prolific writer was a given.

I started off writing online several decades ago; doing what most “newbies” did back then, and that was affiliate marketing.

What serious writer wouldn’t thrive; writing landing pages, article writing, press releases and blog content, in an environment where content was king?

I worked hard on my writing, for the following reasons:

Writing had always showed up for me, so I showed up for it
I was learning so much via research, for ghost writing clients, and later my own ebooks and guides.
I was hooked on the constant high from the ever mounting possibilities of actually earning some serious money online.

What dirty secret do some prolific writers hide?

The secret that many prolific writers may have a tendency to try and hide is not that they’ve had bad lives, or lived through difficult times. The secret part, at least speaking from what I know of my situation, is this:

We don’t write because we want to. We write because we have to, even when we don’t want to. In other words, many of us write because we honestly have no control. We can’t stop?

Does that sound like a good thing, when you really think about it? Or does it sound more like an obsession? A compulsion? Or maybe even an addiction.

What could account for the inability to choose to stop writing?

When I state for the record that I literally am unable to stop writing for too long a period without suffering from depression, please believe it.

As to why that happens to be the case, I can’t say for certain, only that it’s the truth. I’ve wondered what could account for my inability to stop writing if I choose to. I’ve even considered the following possibility.

HYPERGRAPHIA

Hypergraphia is a behavioral condition characterized by the intense desire to write or draw. According to some researchers, one possible cause of this condition could be one of various chemical conditions in the brain.

Here’s what Alice W. Flaherty, MD. PhD., of the The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry had to say:

“Another potential cause of hypergraphia is from one of the body’s neurotransmitters, dopamine (DA). Dopamine has been known to decrease latent inhibition, which causes a decrease in the ability to habituate to different stimuli.

Low latent inhibition leads to an excessive level of stimulation and could contribute to the onset of hypergraphia and general creativity.

This research implies that there is a direct correlation between the levels of DA between neuronal synapses and the level of creativity exhibited by the patient. DA agonists increase the levels of DA between synapses which results in higher levels of creativity, and the opposite is true for DA antagonists”.

Prolific writing can still be a positive activity

I’ve been a bit concerned for myself, from the moment I first learned about the above condition.

As in the case of self diagnosing obvious bipolar symptoms, it wasn’t hard for me to notice any characteristics I might have, that sound like possible symptoms of hypergrahia.

Just like in the case of the former, just knowing and being able to recognize certain behavior patterns can help. It works with a bipolar condition, and I believe it has helped me to understand my excessive need to write.

Oftentimes, I still cringe when one of my readers or online followers commend me on being such prolific writer. Though I may joke and let them know that I couldn’t stop writing if I wanted to, for the most part, I keep my dirty little secret to myself.

Besides, I doubt if they would really even believe me, when I tell them how addicted to writing I really am.

Final Thoughts

The subject of mental health and all its many facets is a serious thing, so make no mistake, this story is in no way meant to be glib or flippant.

As a person who has struggled with a number of stress related conditions, all rooted in negative past experiences, I don’t take the issue lightly.

I often write mental health related stories, as a way to acknowledge the benefits of self healing, in the various forms it may come in.

Readers are encouraged to use whatever information they find helpful, as a springboard for learning more about the topic.

PLEASE do not assume any information I offer up about myself is meant to be viewed as medical, or legal advice to apply to your own situation.

Also, it goes without saying, many prolific writers may read this information and readily relate to many of the statements.

On the other hand, there are other prolific writers who have a whole other story to tell, as it relates to this subject.

Then again, there is yet another group of prolific writers who know exactly what I’m talking about, but that doesn’t mean they’ll ever admit it.

And that’s okay too.

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