I have always loved writing, and my desire to become a freelance writer intensified after my time with the Japan Exchange Teaching Programme. Of course, I was not the first foreigner to spend two years in the Land of the Rising Sun, but I think many gaijin (foreigners) enamoured with Nippon fancied themselves to possess a unique perspective into all things Japanese. I was certainly one of them.

Being a motivated do-er, I wrote intermittently for various cultural sites, contributing my love and insights to advance their reach. In fact, as recent as last year, I was still commissioned to pen an article for one such Japanese site. My opportunities have dried up this year like the expanding Sahara desert. But no matter, since I realise that the biggest reward from writing consistently is not the petty cash I have gained, but the compounding benefits of writing.

Why so? First, there is the tangible aspect of it. These Japanese sites have fallen by the wayside, which means that I am free to post my body of work elsewhere. Now that I’m determined to make a modest living from my blog, I took 15 minutes to type my article on Kumamoto on my blog. (Pro tip: don’t just save a hard copy of your work. Save a soft copy as well!) So, I could flood Stacker News and other sites with my past writing if I have zero conscience and want to hog the prime space ruthlessly. Thank goodness, my skin is not as thick as a suit of armour yet. In any case, having amassed a body of work yields me comfort like a security blanket because I don’t have to worry about output.

In my earlier years as a writer, I struggled to find my distinctive style. The editor of a Japanese travel site went as far to arrange for a Zoom meeting with me during the pandemic. Her honest feedback was that I wrote well but could ease off on the formality. Writing in an overly academic tone was an area of improvement for me up to last year. I recall 1 or 2 of my pieces being “flagged out” for sounding like ChatGPT. Honestly! Sensei is 100% authentic! While I am actually flattered to be compared to the ubiquitous chat bot, I have developed an easy informality in my writing due to my erm prolific output. I don’t know if you find my writing funny, but I amuse myself with my witticisms at times. Which is a good thing, I guess. If I am not a fan of my writing, how can I expect others to devote the time and energy to read my stuff?

Related to the casual informality is the ease in which I write. Have you ever felt that your writing is like ketchup in a bottle, necessitating you to shake your mightiest before a few pathetic drops would spill onto your plate? I used to feel like that too. Over time, due to my daily writing practice, I feel that my dam of inhibitions has broken free. Writing no longer comes across as a struggle to me, and I can pretty much type something on the go. Maybe because I take the time to oil my mental gears and conquer my inertia every day, I feel that my tank is full more often than not.

This also explains why I lack the patience to develop long-form feature articles. I mean, I can do so if I want to. After all, I used to have to write substantial listicles for my freelance work! However, now that I don’t have to meet anyone’s expectations but my own, I find that writing ideas come to me easily. I can take a glimmer of an idea and turn it.into an article. I believe writing frequently has made me attuned to the finer aspects of paragraph development. I can visualise in my mind’s eye how an article will look like and just go after it, like a cheetah chasing its prey.

So, write every day! Not only will you unearth your unique V4V you bring to the table, but you will also unlock the compounding benefits of expressing your ideas on a daily basis.