An article I published on Medium in response to an invite

I write because…

I’ve never really thought about why I write.

I hate entertaining somebody with my writing. I like to see writers as thinkers, visionaries, futurists, social reformers, even activists — but never as entertainers. You write to entertain me, you lose my respect.

I never think I would ever make famous as a writer. Time was when I thought I would make it. But as I’ve grown in years, I find it almost impossible to get there. Don’t ask me why. I don’t even want to talk about it.

I never think of earning from my writing. I’m a physician and earn more than enough to get going. 

So why do I write?

I write because I like to read. I read great books and writers. You’ll always find me with a Kindle or a book even in my clinic.(I’ve of late started reading more books on Kindle). Right now I’m reading DonDeLillo’s Underworld. What a great book. I read 4–5 pages everyday, savoring every word of it and trying to steal a bit of his craftsmanship along the way. 

I write because I want to spend quality time with big ideas and language.

I write because I get my peace and tranquility through writing.

I write because I hate TV, newspapers and social media.

I write because I have a world of my own and I want to inhabit it on a daily and regular basis.

I write because I want to survive the noise, chaos and crap of my surroundings.

Published first on Medium