LESSONS FROM A WRITING MARATHON

@afrobloggers @winterabc2021

#afrobloggers #winterabc2021

There exists a classroom in the shape of a marathon, only this time, the lessons are learnt on the field. Marathons are a competition, alright!, but a tactical one that is not about who gives speed a knock out but who was well prepared and most persevering to finally finish the distance set out. I have never been much of an athlete unfortunately, in my school days, I was always one of those bystanders on sports days either cheering on the active or just looking around for the best cotton candy stall at the school field. I have recently however, finally finished my first marathon!! "Woop! Woop! Hooray!"

So I chose to challenge myself after seeing a public invite sent out by the Afrobloggers platform to a month long blogging fiesta specifically for the month of June. Expectations from them have been simple:- 22 days of blogging, however, a minimum of 17 blogs should have been written by each participant, tag @Afrobloggers on your blogs and share to your social links( which was not too much to ask really). So now you know, it's been a writing marathon for me. This will be my last and 18th blog out of the 22 so I pass the requirement. It's been a wild run, not without gems of lessons and these are what I share with you today. 

Two of my soldiers on their own marathon. Surely no element of speed here.

1. The more you write, the better you get

There's an upside to scratching your head for words, ideas on what to write, relatable story telling styles e.t.c. You start to understand better the concepts of story flow, story climax, storylines, how to find inspiration, when to stop and many others. It is self training, it gets your mind to practice new ways to write, to express yourself and builds confidence in your potential to connect with others through your writing.

2. No feedback is feedback!

I struggled with why I am not getting especially those comments coming in even when I would write religiously on a daily basis until I discovered and started to check the statistics of insights on my blog. Utterly shocked, I noticed that people read but are more reluctant to publically talk back for various reasons including privacy, mixed feelings, procedure required to give their feedback being a little complex or long and many others. It's interesting that people read the blogs and then prefer to send their comments or opinions in via your private WhatsApp contact, direct messaging on other social platforms or even give you a call to credit or discredit your work. Maybe, we need to see how to get this section as easy and enticing as possible to do for the readers. But otherwise, don't be discouraged just yet, dear writer, the world is a little strange these days and the lack of comments might not be your cue to stop writing. 

3. You have to be able to read in order to write.

 If you stick to knowing what your world offers, your writing sense could get clogged up, fatigued even maybe. You would kind of be in a place so comfortable that nothing is evolving. So if you are going to write, you are going to have to read what other writers do with their minds and hands, get fresh perspectives on what else exists in the world beyond your own and identify what's trending or pertinent. People have amazing stories to tell and incredible views for you to see. Take notes as you visit. 

4. Writing depends so much on your inner man

Your state of mind will determine what mood is likely captured in your writing. The heaviness in your heart will be felt so clearly in your writing and so will the positive vibes. I can only think about these two things right now, take care of your inner man so you can have the freedom to express yourself most heartily and also make sure to keep in touch with all your emotions, the real you has great and not so great feelings, so write in the feeling of the moment rather than downplay yourself for fear of judgement.

5. Writing is therapy

Have you ever had an argument where you felt you didn't say what you earlier intended to or you should have said particular things to put someone in their place? In the spur of the moment, there's just never enough time to say it all and well enough, right? Well, writing has you covered. With writing, you are not on the spot or under pressure to prove yourself in real time, so you are more free with the nakedness of your feelings. You are also more rational and analytical since you have been awarded the gift of time to think it through and be certain of where want to go from there. I have been blessed to be able to speak through writing, hours or months later, about my feelings on an unfortunate incident happening and got started on to my own healing. 

The marathon might be done but clearly, another has just begun!  Once you start writing heartily, you never stop. Cheers to all the voices shining a light through your writing!