To put thoughts into words, and to share those words with you, the reader. Such is writing. Some people have no problem talking about ideas, but hand them a paper and pen and they are lost. There is something about writing that forces you to structure your thoughts, to make up for the lack of context provided by a conversation in person.

I want to become a better writer. To better share what I know, and better understand what I do not. So here I am, practising. Practice makes perfect, so they say, but there is a reason why I’ve been playing badminton off and on for a number of years now but still get my ass handed to me every time. I like playing badminton, but I certainly can’t say I’ve been practising.

I want to become a better writer. To think better. There is a reason why people pay for time to practice. Exchanging cash for focus sounds like a quick fix, a shortcut to mastery. I think there is something to it, but only if you are thinking about what you are doing and constantly reevaluating. Only if you are thinking about what you are writing.

Derek Sivers, founder of CDBaby and all round amazing guy has advice for TED speakers. Speak only about insightful things. Only talk about what brings value for the audience, because it’s not about you. On one hand, once you know something, it is hard to imagine how “not knowing” feels like, so what is valuable to your audience does not seem as valuable to you. The other side of the coin is when I’m the only person on the planet who might find how a specific configuration of parts on software causes a bug interesting.

And there is always the fear. The fear that stops me dead in my tracks. The fear that stops me from pushing the publish button. The fear that makes me pause, look at what I’ve written and say I can’t believe I wrote that and toss it in the graveyard of forgotten dreams.

I will write, and I will think about what I write. I will write regularly, and I will write for you, whoever you may be, whereever you are. There will be no room for fear, no time for hesitation. The audience await, the readers clamour for the souls of manuscripts pushing against the door of existence.

All that is left is to turn the page, to put pen to paper and make them real.