Category : Articles

Sub Category : Motivation

(Edited version) 

Hello Writers, 

It's 28°C here in the city and the humidity level is unbelievable. I am holed up in my house as I edit this and it is my hope that the weather is pleasant and comfortable wherever you are. 

I am from the city of Kuala Lumpur, halfway across the globe from the place where three years ago, Jared DeMoss, the creator of Writer's Outlet built and grew his app. He was fed up of seeing the same old thing being produced by other writing app creators, fed up of hearing countless advisors and their needless advice on what to build, fed up with their mindful yet mindless conversations, fed up with the crowd of other writing app that provide the same thing, and he was fed up with the overall pandemonium of the writing app race. He wanted to see a change, make a change and create something different. Something that would bring out the undiscovered, raw talent of creative writers that otherwise would be kept hidden away and unknown. Although the idea may seem easy enough on paper, the actual task of pulling it off successfully is a whole other matter altogether. However, the brilliance of his own mind provided the much needed respite. 

To build something he truly believed in, he knew he had to cut out the noise and work in peace and solitude. There was nobody else other than the strong line of writers on the app to guide him on what to build, and I was enchanted by it all. As I watch from my home across the globe, I am happy that finally someone is building something that encourages us to dive deeper within ourselves to find our most honest voice. Jared's passion inspired me to join him on his quest. I joined the community that was born from this app and promised that I will help him in his mission — to make the world write — into a reality. His journey took him from Saint Cloud to Harmony, and I went along with him. I had given him my word after all, and promises are meant to be kept. 

It's been two years since I made that promise, a promise that I continue to make good even on days when I needed to take a short break to fill my own creative bowl that the city of chatter had evaporated. As I look back, I was wonderstruck at why I chose to help him. Why help make the world write? What was so special about this mission? Was it just about helping people dig deeper within themselves? 

It was deeper than that. 

I learned that Jared wanted to create an awareness in hopes to inspire more people to write. He wanted to give people a good fighting chance to let their voices be heard and their stories be told in their own words with complete freedom. He wanted people to see that the act of writing is the purest of all art forms. 

Other art form, be it painting, reciting poetry, dancing, playing music, they all become a performance while you are doing it. Writing, on the other hand, is a solitary act driven by a solitary mind. The act of writing can never become a performance for an audience. 

For example, just to write this post, I have had to think, pause, imagine, press backspace and edit, change words, find better words, rewrite and finish only to reread and rewrite it - all of which were done on my own, by my own, without spectators watching me. The process in itself is the most immersive self-exploration a human can do. You cannot watch someone write as it'll be too boring for everyone else, other than the writer because no one else can see the explosion of words that goes on in the writer's mind during the act of writing. While the fireworks are going off in the writer's mind, the outside world is unaffected. An ongoing story or narrative, is incomplete to give you the joy that a finished piece can unlike music, or dance, or even painting, where every note or riff that is played, or moves that are swayed, or brush strokes that are done are actually a treat to watch. Writing is a one (wo)man's job. It cannot be done together. While a collaboration is possible on a piece of writing, two people writing cannot jam on the same notes like they can in music, because each one of us have different thought process. 

Writing is the purest, truest and most pristine form of art there is. And it's through this realization that makes me feel so proud to know all of you Writers, and also to help Jared, who is pursuing probably the greatest mission among all the platforms out there. His mission to raise the consciousness of the world through nothing but writing. 

Pardon me if this was a bit too much, but if you love writing, like I do, trust me when I say you have chosen the most powerful as well as life-altering passion one could ever pursue. 

Before I part, I am curious to know.... How has writing changed your life? What are your dreams as a writer? And how has joining this app helped you in your writing? I'm pretty sure Jared would be interested to hear your thoughts as well so do share your thoughts here or if you prefer, write a post about it in the app. 

Much love and respect, 
        💜 Zee Zulu💜