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Friday, May 16, 2014

Why Do You #Write ? #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge participant Vidya Sury was part of #TeamDamyanti this year, and she did an excellent job of providing social media tips (A Must-Read Guide now that we're taking a relaxed Road Trip!) and a hundred other things that go into running the challenge.

Today she is the Featured Guest on this blog, and talks to us about her passion for writing.

~~~~~
I worship the written word and the spoken word. I owe my love for writing to my Mom and one of my Uncles, who always encouraged me to express myself on paper.

And of course, to all the people who enjoy what I write, inspiring me to continue to write.

Writing is more or less like breathing to me, and today, I am glad to say, it is my bread and butter. Okay, also flavored cheese, sometimes.

Writing is a wonderful outlet, liberating, opening up new perspectives and teaching tolerance. When I go back and read something I wrote years ago, I enjoy seeing how I have learned and grown, and changed. Sometimes, I am proud of what I wrote and sometimes, I feel like I could have done a better job of it.

One of my earliest writing exercises was diary-writing. My Mom always encouraged me to keep a journal. It improved my language, my vocabulary and my confidence. It also helped me learn better at school. Above all, it kept my mind well-ventilated, stress-free and positive. It improved my memory and fed my creativity.

I remember, each time we went on a trip, my Mom would make sure I had packed my notebook and pencils. Oh yes, not only did I write about the trip as it happened; I also sketched in those pages. Sometimes, sketching helped me get my thoughts on paper far quicker than words to describe the scene.
Another writing exercise that helped me grow as a writer was letter-writing. Ours was a large family that believed in keeping in touch with relatives who lived in various cities. Letter-writing was a weekly chore. On Thursdays, which was a school holiday, my Mom and I would settle down with a stack of post cards and postage covers. I would love writing the addresses on these covers. Then, she let me add a couple of lines to each letter. Eventually, I took over the letter-writing and felt so happy when they were lovingly acknowledged. Some of my family still have my letters and read them with pleasure.

My love for writing paid off during my school years and beyond, making me a better student and a better person in life. At work,  I was rewarded with the remark “excellent communication skills” on my performance report and not surprisingly, I made a career in sales, marketing and training, before I quit the corporate world to become a stay at home Mom.

Today, I am excited to have a regular outlet for my writing via my blogs. My reward is my community, meeting other fabulous writers and exploring different writing styles via writing challenges and blog hops. Most of all, I am filled with gratitude to know that I make a difference with my words in peoples’ lives, bringing me closer to wonderful human beings. 

Writing is like oxygen.

Most of all, I am especially grateful that today, it is my chosen profession. Thanks to my writing skills, I earn my bread, butter and jam as a freelance writer and blogger, helping businesses, professionals and individuals.
~~~~~~~


Vidya Sury is a professional copywriter, editor and blogger. In a previous life, she was a corporate powerhouse. She now works from home crafting connections between businesses and their target markets, but prefers to focus on collecting smiles, playing with her dust bunnies, showing her diabetes who's boss and celebrating the little things.

She loves coffee, people, cooking, reading, writing, photography and travel. Vidya blogs at Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles , Coffee with Mi  and Your Medical Guide.

Dear Bloggers, why do you write? Do you blog for passion as well as remuneration? Did you participate in the A to Z Challenge? What do you think of guest blogging? Would you like to be a Featured Guest on this blog? Hit us up using the contact tab!

25 comments:

David said...

How would you react if I told you there’s a job where you have to work 24/7? Well, there’s already someone who holds this position.mothers day

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jean Katherine Baldridge said...

This is a wonderful post about learned and progressing as you grow up and embrace your favourite things and your greatest talents! Thank you for sharing your experiences--I particularly love what you wrote about your letters and your family--how super!
Best Wishes, jean

Vinodini said...

Great to see you here Vidya! Your love for writing reflects in your words :)

Unknown said...

A great post. I write for passion and then when life dealt me some good blows, my writing became my therapy. I am still writing and soon, it will become my income though not sole source l think.

Tina said...

I love hearing about how people became writers! Ironically, my story is very similar to yours. In Swedish culture, letter writing is an art and a tradition. When we moved to the US, I kept in touch with my friends via letters for years. Of course, I wrote weekly letters to my grandparents. It was touching to be given a special box full of those saved letters when they died.
I blog to practice writing, and for the connections I make with other bloggers. I love the A-Z and have been a co-host for three years now. It's a prime opportunity to make new friends and connections outside one's usual social circle. I highly recommend it to every blogger.
Right now we're on our Road Trip, which means we are meandering about the long list, visiting those blogs we missed during the craziness of April. Click on the badge in the sidebar for more info, and sign up on the linky in the tabs above! I hope many will join us.
Tina @ Life is Good
On the Open Road! @ Join us for the 4th Annual Post-Challenge Road Trip!

Anonymous said...

I love writing! writing journals have always been a way of relaxing to me... letters reminds me of my early childhood when i wrote letters to my dad posted away!

Michelle Stanley said...

I find writing exciting as I get the opportunity to express my feelings, and see the results come alive with words using various genres.

cheerfuloptimistic said...

Writing helps me deal with stress. Blogging specifically helps me get out some of my "stop doing this annoying thing" stuff.

Philip Verghese 'Ariel' said...

Hi Damayanti,
Its good to read Vidya;s post here.
Indeed she is a prolific writer and
its really good to know more about
her writings and some early stories
I could very well relate some of the
areas she mentioned here
Thanks for posting this experiences Vidya
Keep it up
Best Regards
~ Philip

Battered Hope said...

I am not sure which tab is the contact tab for guest posting. Would love to.

Battered Hope said...

You are a remarkable woman. I see your passion and your compassion. I am so pleased that we have connected. To answer the question -why do you write? Because I have to! I write for pleasure, for therapy, for fun and hopefully, someday, for profit :)

Barbara In Caneyhead said...

I wrote about why I write in last years' challenge: Pages...why does your mother write in a blog?

Vidya Sury said...

Thanks, Jean! I've realized one has to cultivate the habit of writing, or it is very hard to do it! :D

Vidya Sury said...

Thank you, Vinodini! So happy you came by!

Vidya Sury said...

That's so wonderful, Marie! I find writing very therapeutic too, especially when I feel low. These days I write letters to myself or to my Mom. The peace is immense! Thank you, Marie!

Vidya Sury said...

Tina, my eyes filled up at your mention of the special box of your letters! My aunt used to keep my letters under her clothes in her cupboard and each time I visited, pick out one to show me. :)

I agree about the A to Z -above all, it is so much fun while motivating us to do all those things that can take our blogging to new heights. Love the idea of the Road Trip!

Vidya Sury said...

I love journal writing and still do it! :) Thank you for commenting, Nibha. How charming to think of those days when we were close friends with the red post box!

Damyanti Biswas said...

Carol, If you look at the top of this page, you'll see a lot of Tabs/ Links to Pages. One of them is Contact us-- which as all our emails. Or just email me at atozstories at gmail dot com.

Battered Hope said...

Got it

The Pink Dewdrops said...

such a great article...enjoyed reading it...
plz join my blog- the pink dewdrops
http://9shonalimukherji9.blogspot.in/

A Tarkabarka Hölgy said...

Lovely post! :)
I write mostly for the same reason I became a professional storyteller: I love sharing stories. I can't keep myself from getting excited over things, be it folktales, or history, or legends, and then run from person to person going "Look at this! This is awesome! Why doesn't someone write about this?!"... and then I do. :D
Cheers!

Susan Scott said...

Like breathing - so beautifully put! I write because I have something to say. While it doesn't come terribly easily for me, I like to see form given to an idea ..I also so much enjoy meeting others from different parts of the world, their sharing of stories -
Thank you for this lovely post.
http://www.gardenofedenblog.com

Unknown said...

Thank you for the lovely post. Like you, Vidya, I began keeping a journal when I was a child. I have boxes & computer files filled with journals (and also sketches). Finally, I realized my writing was turned inward and decided to blog to help turn my writing outward. About 8 years ago, I began blogging at Heirs In Hope (http://heirsinhope.blogspot.com). Now, I blog mostly about the book I'm writing, Loved As If (http://lovedasif.com/) and post excerpts, related articles, etc. I used the A to Z Challenge to create momentum and post everyday. Now that it's over, I post several times per week and try to post each day if possible.

I write because I love stories and love telling stories. It's the same reason I read. I also love the puzzle of humanity: A very good man can also do some very stupid things, things which lead to destruction. A very bad man can do something heroic, self-sacrificing. Human beings are amazingly rich and complex. Writing expresses who we are.

Drusilla

PS - I'd love to be a guest blogger.

Unknown said...

gooood