The Accidental Writer

5:13 PM


I could still remember the dread whenever my teachers would ask for an essay to be written. More than the sentence construction and grammatical use which my teachers were probably looking out for when they gave out these tasks, the idea of what to write about usually escapes me.  If my memory serves me right, I often ended up with one paragraph which barely lifted from the introductory phase.

By some interesting choices, I ended up taking a course in college which required extensive research and therefore extensive writing as well.  I really don't know how I survived this but I did.  After graduation, I purposely looked for job positions that didn't require me to make any written compositions (i.e. letters, formal reports, and the like).

I did manage to escape writing but then fate does have a way of bringing us face-to-face with things that we would rather avoid.   When I had an operation, the recuperation period was quite long that I had no choice but to stay home.  Having two very young kids then, I had to find a way to be productive even while I was at home.

One day, I was browsing through some flyers distributed in the village where we used to stay.  One ad caught my eye because it was the only one that didn't require me to physically go out of the house.  Guess what?  The ad said someone was looking for several part-time writers and all I needed to do was email him if I was interested.  Extreme situations require extreme decisions right?  And so I applied.

I was requested to write a 1,000 word article about computer technology.  Now, if there was one thing I hated most writing about, it is this very same topic.  The reason is simple.  I practically knew nothing about it.  Almost instantaneously, I regretted my decision to apply.  Pride however will not allow me to give up that easily and so I did it, I submitted it, and got hired for it.

My Say

It has been more than seven years now since that fateful day when I discovered I could actually write. Recently, I gathered enough courage to write for myself thus the birth of this blog JUST PASSING THRU. Its start was tentative which would explain the big gaps between articles but I am now ready to make it a continuous effort.

That said, the accidental writer is now a writer who has discovered the joys of writing and loving every moment of it.

Image: degreedirectory.org

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11 comments

  1. Fate is always there. I have also experienced a scenario similar to this.. Now I'm back to writing.. Actually "writing" on my blog. Not just on simple posts with tons of photos and ads.

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  2. Good for you. There's a writer in all of us. We just need to connect to it.

    Rizza (beingwell)

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  3. It is actually my old ambition to be a writer. Unfortunately, it really doesn't seem for me. T_T

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  4. i'm a nurse but i don't want to return to the healthcare..so i write..hehehe

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  5. I think that was hardly accidental... You're a born writer! You definitely have what it takes... You have a talent which only most of us dream of having. You are on this path which was intended for you. Keep at it! :)

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  6. I love reading your article and I don't think you are an accidental writer. You are a born writer! Writing a 1000 word article with only a few knowledge of the topic is amazing!

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  7. I think writing is in your destiny...

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  8. your a good writer, i mean not just good but someone who writes from her heart.

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  9. i guess most of us who enjoy writing as a hobby ended up maintaining blogs, others with even more than I even dare to imagine. thanks to our blogs, we've found ways to keep being creative + productive even when we mostly stay at home to look after our kiddos! if only for that, i am grateful for the internet + modern day technology! :)

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  10. The accidental writer is now a full-fledged blogger. Congratulations!

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  11. keep writing! I agree with everyone, you are a great writer and that's what kept me browsing most of your post...and what will keep me coming back :)

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