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Why I write
A version of mine, I’ve just read the one by Orwell.
Unlike Orwell, who started writing at an early age, I didn’t come from a ‘peaceful’ or ‘serene’ background. Brought up in a typical Indonesian family with many siblings, I never actually had moments of serenity.
I was an active child who was very much into art. I drew, played drama with my friends, read comics, and watched TV. I never actually envisioned myself as a writer as a child. I always, however, pictured myself as a teacher.
I found it interesting how they had their own desk, stacks of books, how they could group us, protect us and generally dictate us into doing something useful for our future. Somehow, I admired that ‘class- contract’ I had with my teachers and always wondered how to be in their position.
Orwell puts “why writers write” into four cathegories:
- Sheer Egoism: According to Orwell, writers seek recognition, revenge, and lasting fame, similar to other ambitious professionals (politicians, lawyers, etc.). Unlike most people who abandon individual ambition by thirty, writers persist in their personal pursuits.
I started taking writing seriously in university. In school, I was quite a vocal person, participating in debates and similar activities. However, in university, I began writing…
