10 Things That Happen When You’re Obsessed With Writing

1. You’re overly conscious of other people’s traits.

As writers, we are so used to getting into detail of the traits of a character that we immediately recognize them and are aware of them in real people. When I meet someone, all the adjectives I would use to describe them on the page pop in my head. From their physical description to the way they act, this person undeniably becomes a character in your mind.

2. And your surroundings.

We are very observant when it comes to our surroundings. Everything is a scene, a plot, a setting. We see things most people would overlook. We can describe things that most people wouldn’t put any words to.

3. You’re always jotting ideas down.

At the end of a week, my bag is always filled with pieces of paper, post-its, and any other random scraps that I can write an idea down and stuff in my bag to review later. Whether it’s a character name, plot idea, or even just a sentence, a writer always makes sure to document their random burst of creativity.

4. No piece is ever good enough.

Writers will never be satisfied with their work. Like, ever. Even if they think it’s good enough at the moment, they will always look back and find a million things they wish they did differently. When reading my older pieces, even from just a month ago, I cringe at my word selection, my grammar usage, my sentence structure. Even if people tell me how good a piece is, I don’t hear their compliments. I just notice that I should’ve used fewer adverbs.

5. You read to procrastinate.

If I can’t think of what to write about, I read. Sometimes it gives me ideas, but most of the time, it is just a way to procrastinate while still feeling productive.

6. Writing helps you get through things.

For those who are obsessed with writing, they understand that it serves as a tool to get you through tough times. Jotting down your problems, thoughts, ideas helps you open up and come to conclusions. It’s just like therapy. Saying certain things out loud to a stranger suddenly makes you realize what you never would have if you kept them bottled up inside. Writing keeps you self-aware, and that makes it easier when getting through hardships.  

7. You have tons of unfinished pieces.

I have a whole folder on my laptop filled with dozens of unfinished stories, articles, ideas, etc. Some I simply gave up on, some I got completely stuck, and others I’m trying to let enough time pass so I can look back and have an AHA moment. Will I finish any of them? Who knows! But as a writer, I will always have pieces that will never see an ending.

8. You can work on one sentence for hours.

The writing process is a lonely and grueling one. But nothing is more frustrating than not being able to move past a single sentence. We stress over word placement, word choice, punctuation, what will follow it. I will sit and rewrite the same sentence over and over again until I can’t even bear to read my own writing anymore.

9. One sentence can move you to tears.

If you love and appreciate the art of writing, then you can be moved to tears by the beauty of a simple sentence. Those who can manipulate language, to say what people cannot manage to articulate themselves, have an incredible skill, and when I see it in its truest art form, I cannot help but be moved. I can sit and read a line or a paragraph over and over just because I am in awe at how they compiled those words to get such meaning across.

10. You feel empty if you don’t write.

I go a little crazy if I don’t have the chance to write every day. I feel detached from myself. It serves as an outlet, and if I’m not using it to express myself regularly, I feel trapped and empty. True writers need to bleed on the page every single day to feel alive.