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I have the fear that if I don’t write, my blood will freeze, so I asked around and read about the experience of other writers.
Addiction may be defined as the continued use of a mood-altering substance or behaviour despite adverse consequences. Alternatively, it may be defined as a neurological impairment leading to such behaviors”.
Can the “adverse consequences” of writing be categorised with to those of substance abuse? Of course, there are negative consequences of writing such as the stress of body and mind from prolonged writing, and loss of company when he shuts himself in to write. But are these adverse consequences?
Strangely, writing is not an easy thing to do: Long, solitary hours – an awful lot of time staring at the blank page, waiting, perhaps praying to The Muse or to whomever for an inspiration, and looking for suitable words that seem to play Tom and Jerry in the head.
Worse, writing doesn’t seem to make much sense economically because only a very small percentage of writers make good money at it. In this case, the addiction thrives in defiance of common sense.
Below is what they say about their addiction: The first by Caroline Peckham, bestselling fantasy author, is real fun but true. She is addicted to writing as are Stephen King, Maxim Uzoatu and Mike Awoyinfa.
Caroline Peckham: As I begin writing this I’m literally starving. But before breakfast I wanted to get this blog post up because it’s been whizzing around my mind before I went to sleep last night and in the few seconds after I woke up today (okay I had a lie-in don’t judge me!)
So yes, I am obsessed with writing. I know this because (clearly) it comes before food and is therefore now at least as essential in my list of things to do today. (Alright I wouldn’t die if I stopped writing but….my soul might? Too far? Probably…)
Before I started writing my book series, I’d never found anything to write that I was so obsessed about. This, I think (and hope), is a good thing. At least in terms of drive and determination. I will do anything it takes to finish this series and get it out to the world! Because there’s a burning need inside me to do so.
Call it what you will; an obsession, a calling, the onset of some sort of psychotic episode…but whatever it may be, I just can’t ignore it!
Today is one of the first days that the UK has had warm weather in literally months. And I’ve got a couple of days off (lucky me!) but you know what I’m doing? Sitting in my flat writing, and I intend to do so all day long. To be fair I live in a top floor flat with a large sash window to my left and the sun is shining through so I’m technically sunbathing right?
Writing is addictive in its many forms. I only started a blog a few weeks ago and now I find myself thinking about what to blog and am constantly checking in on what my fellow bloggers are writing!
Anyway – I admit it, I’m a writing addict. There! I said it!
Maxim Uzoatu: He is a warm and cheerful young man with a crowd of friends and fans, but locked somewhere in a corner of man brain, is the image of Maxim, the Poet as a man who lives with the spirits. I am talking about Maxim Uzoatu, journalist and poet. His words are deep and spiritual.
“There are some demons inside me that must get out or I die!”
Well, Maxim is addicted to writing!
Mike Awoyinfa: He is a celebrated journalist, biographer and columnist.
Mike is heavily addicted to writing. He says proudly: “Of course I am addicted to writing. It is what I live for. It is what keeps me alive. It’s my opium. It is my religion. It my oxygen! It keeps me happy like a drug addict but in my case, an addition to words.”
Graham Greene: “Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose, or paint can manage to escape the madness, the melancholia, the panic fear, which is inherent in a human condition”
Gloria Steinem: “Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don’t feel I should be doing something else.”
My Experience: Writing keeps my blood circulating, and stopping it will make blood freeze in my veins. Outside work hours, when I have time to myself, I am either writing mentally or pounding away on my laptop.
No matter how tedious it should be, writing is for me an opportunity for relaxation. When I tell people who know my habits I am going on vacation, they ask, what book is coming?
I got this from a Malinda, a contributor to the subject on the Internet. Interesting! She wrote: “I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. Never touched drugs. Not a gambler. My addiction? Writing.
I’m a word nerd! Well, to other writers, sure I’m normal. But if you don’t write out of the desire rather than the need to do so, you might call me a nerd.
I may not be the best. Not yet a New York Times Best Seller, but I could write all day”.
