Summary

The author turned the challenges of the pandemic into an opportunity to discover and pursue a passion for writing, leading to personal growth and increased happiness.

Abstract

The pandemic forced the author into a period of introspection, which led to the realization that writing could be a productive outlet for their creativity and energy. Despite initial doubts and challenges, including English not being their first language, the author committed to daily writing and reading, engaged with the writing community on Medium, and gradually improved their craft. This dedication resulted in several of their articles being curated on Medium, boosting their confidence and reinforcing their decision to embrace writing. The author's journey underscores the transformative power of channeling adversity into personal development and the fulfillment that comes from pursuing one's passions.

Opinions

The author believes that the pandemic, despite its limitations, provided a unique chance for self-discovery and the pursuit of personal interests.
They express that productivity can stem from frustration and that engaging in meaningful activities like writing can alleviate feelings of hopelessness.
The author values the importance of routine and discipline in developing writing skills, emphasizing daily writing and reading practices.
They acknowledge the role of the Medium platform and the writing community in their growth as a writer.
The author suggests that personal challenges can be transformed into rewards and that suffering can lead to increased productivity and creativity.
They advocate that anyone can become a writer if they have the passion and desire, regardless of their background or technical skills.
The author quotes famous writers to reinforce the idea that persistence and emotional engagement are key to successful writing.
They conclude that writing has not only been a source of pleasure and self-expression but also a means to navigate the uncertainties of the world.

How the Pandemic Forced Me to Become a Better Writer

How I turned my frustration into productivity and started writing

Since the pandemic hit in March, I was like millions of people, out of work, and cooped up inside my home with my husband and two children.

Life changed drastically for me. I became frustrated and hopeless, as I realized there was nothing in my power to turn around the situation. Plus, I was bored stuck at home with my two anxious boys.

All these mixed feelings came crashing down on me like a boulder.

I started looking for ways to unleash my energy and creativity.

As a matter of habit, I’m a person who hates wasting time doing nothing — it makes me extremely uncomfortable, needless to say, infuriates me.

Then I saw a glimmer of light and thought: “Why not try my hand at writing?”

Writing had always been in the back of my mind, but I never actively pursued it due to not having enough motivation, time, etc. I also never believed in myself or thought I could be a writer. Because after all, I have been a musician all my life. Aside from occasional journaling, I never wrote full-length articles, posts, or essays. Also, English isn’t my first language.

So, here I am with all the odds stacked against me. You may ask: “What made me do it?”

My free time led to self-discovery

During the pandemic, I had plenty of time for self-reflection. I used it to explore my passions and desires, to reconnect with myself. To unveil my inner strengths.

When we are too busy with our lives — work, family, kids — we don’t get in touch with our inner selves. We are not as deeply connected to our emotions and our passions.

I didn’t let my mind sink into a gloomy state. I turned my frustration into productivity.

While the pandemic put a limit on what I could do with my time, it opened up the door for self-discovery. Instead of wasting my time, I decided to put it to good use.

Suddenly, something clicked in my mind and I decided to give writing a chance. And around the same time, I discovered Medium. I was so glad I did! It was there at the right place and at the right time.

Steps I took toward self-improvement

Since discovering the platform, I took a few steps to become a better writer:

I committed myself to write every day
I made reading part of my routine
I connected with other writers who were ahead of me
I kept writing regardless of my mood

When I first started, my articles sucked of course. I felt like I had so many thoughts running in my head but I didn’t know how to turn them into great writing.

But I embraced those challenges — every new writer faces them when they first get started — and was determined to improve my craft. I tripped and stumbled, but then picked myself up again.

“Writing is hard for every last one of us… Coal mining is harder. Do you think miners stand around all day talking about how hard it is to mine for coal? They do not. They simply dig.”

– Cheryl Strayed

In hopes to be a better writer, I started reading more. I read lots of articles offering tips and advice on how to improve. I followed, read, and clapped articles of writers whose writing I admired. I also networked and built strong connections with other writers.

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

– Stephen King

And I must say, it helped me grow tremendously. I feel much better about writing now than when I first started. What’s more, I found the more I wrote, the happier I became. I rediscovered myself through a new passion buried somewhere inside of me, which never had a chance to escape. And now I finally let it out.

Since I started writing regularly, I’ve improved considerably. I’m able to express my thoughts better. I write with more ease and clarity. Overall, the process of putting my thoughts on paper has become more effortless.

My small wins are my confidence booster

Since I became a member of Medium in May and started writing consistently, three of my articles got curated. For those who don’t know, curation means your article is distributed across the entire Medium platform according to the topics. It helps to increase the views and reads of your articles.

Although it’s not large of a number, for someone like me who never actively pursued writing, it gave me a boost to my self-confidence and gave me a push to continue.

As a result of my commitment to improving my craft, I feel more confident about myself, which inspired me to take my skills to the next level.

Plus, I’m finding inspiration in my connections with so many great writers and readers. Nothing is more rewarding to a writer than a feeling of gratitude you get when someone else reads your work. It gives you an instant dopamine boost and motivation to continue, to work harder, and be better.

My pandemic experience proves that you can turn your challenges into rewards and your suffering into productivity.

The only thing you need is the desire and passion to do what you love.

I also learned that you don’t always need to be in a happy state of mind to write. We produce some of our best writing when we are grappling with our emotions.

Being one-on-one with yourself leads to personal growth. If you invest your time right, you will grow and improve. My experiences prove that it is the case.

To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Now I’m looking at writing as a pleasurable yet mind-stimulating activity I can do any time of day when I want to be with myself and my emotions.

Final Thoughts

I believe anyone can be a writer at any stage in life. For those who doubt their ability to write — don’t be. All you need are the passion and desire to pursue what you love.

Writing doesn’t require you to have complex technical skills. You don’t need to be tech-savvy, other being able to type on your computer. All you need is to be connected with your thoughts and cultivate the ability to connect them with words.

Once you give yourself a chance to grow, you’ll discover a whole new world. You’ll find that you feel less unhappy. Your life will become incredibly fulfilling, even if is not always fair and you don’t have everything you want.

“You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say.”

– F. Scott Fitzgerald

For me, there is no better way to spend my time when the world is in such an unstable and chaotic stage. There is no better time than now to pursue my passions with full strength. I’m determined to keep up writing and push it to the next level.

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