"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." - Ernest Hemingway
Writing is often wrapped in a haze of romanticism. The image of a writer is that of a solitary genius, immersed in a storm of inspiration, creating masterpieces that transcend time. But does this vision match reality?
The truth is that writing is a demanding craft. There are days when words flow like a river, but there are also those when every sentence feels like a heavy stone to carve. Ernest Hemingway once said: "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." And that is the essence of literary creation—pouring your soul onto the page, facing the fear of the blank space, rewriting countless times, and still doubting whether what you've written is good enough.
Moreover, there is a myth that writing is a natural gift, reserved for a chosen few. But being a writer is not some mystical talent. It is work. Work that demands discipline, patience, and resilience in the face of frustration.
And yet, despite all this, there is a reward. The moment you reread a piece and realize that you have given shape to something that was once just a vague feeling in your mind. The realization that, in some way, what you wrote may touch someone else, spark an emotion, or provoke a reflection. This is the true brilliance of writing: its ability to reach and transform, even in silence.
And if you still have doubts about why you should keep going, I leave you with this quote from Kurt Vonnegut, which beautifully sums up the true value of art in our lives:
"Practicing any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something."
If, after all this, you still feel the call to write, then yes—you truly want to be a writer.
Commentaires