Writing is lonely work, after all

a prose

Do you want to be creative? I do. I don’t remember, but the word of creativity has been one of my favourite words. I have always dreamed of being a creative person.

It’s not that only writing is solitary, but all of the creative work can be loneliness: painter, composer, dancer, even entrepreneurs. This planet is fulfilled with lonely creators.

You may join some communities of creators, but you have to face your art by yourself. To finish your creation, no one can help you, sorry.

When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a painter. I drew and painted every day in school, at home. I had some friends who were also dreaming of being creators, but I was still alone. They were my friends, but they were my rivals too. I envied their talents. I was jealous of their creativity.

Writing is lonely work. Even if you can sell lots of your books, even if you are treated like a celebrity, you are still alone when you are writing.

A writer is a vulnerable creature, frightened about the possibility of getting negative reviews.

Sitting in front of your PC screen, open up your brain, put your hand into it to grab some words, look down your profound inner depth, to dig out your experience from your past. Put all you have in your little brain out to publish, and wait for someone pricing it.

Have you ever thought of quitting writing? I have, but I can’t. Writing is like a drug — somebody said. Why do you have to write? Because I want to write.

Jump into the sea of creativity in order to find my favourite shells of words. Go deeper, and deeper. I cannot live with another gravity anymore.

HANA is a Japanese born writer who writes stories and poems in both English and Japanese. If you are an English reader, you can follow her English publications, ‘Etude of Creativity (poetry, haiku, fiction)’ and ‘Japanese Writer (blogs & essays)’ or on Twitter.

All stories written by HANA are here (a list in English).