Why I Do What I Do

I am a perfectionist, but don’t like to admit it. I have been since I can remember. About almost everything. When it comes to writing, though, I am able to completely abandon all perfectionism and simply let the words come out. It’s an escape. It helps me cope. So, I write and write and write and don’t focus all my energy on whether or not people are going to like it, or if my commas are all in their proper places, or if what I write is dictionally appropriate. I write much like I would if I were talking to an old friend over coffee; conversationally and animatedly. I write for me. If people happen to read it and get something from it, then that is great.

I’m also a musician. I write a lot of my own songs. They are typically very emotional and reflect different times in my life. I like to tell stories with my music. Again, I write for me. Putting words to music helps me to release the emotions, but it also creates a certain amount of vulnerability.

“2 AM and I’m still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it’s no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I’m naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you’ll use them, however you want to”–Breathe by Anna Nalick