I think the real title should be A Few Reasons Why I Write. But don’t worry about that—let’s just get into it.

  1. I write primarily because something lingers in my mind and craves expression. I don’t often have the right words before I start to write; that usually comes as I face the blank sheet. But the idea is usually there, and it lingers in my mind enough for me to decide to write about it.
  2. I write to stay in front of my network. I place a lot of value on the network I have built and the people around me. Writing is one of the easiest ways for me to stay in touch. I can’t meet everyone, nor can I really “know” everyone. However, whenever I write and my writing reaches them, they are reminded of me. It gives them the impression that they are still in contact with me—and in truth, they are. Occasionally, they like my post and often add a comment. In such moments, I confirm that they are still with me, and if they leave a comment, I can reply. In most cases, that is usually enough to maintain contact with my network.
  3. I write to expand my network. When I was in Lagos, it was commonplace for me to walk into a place for the first time and find a few people who would say, “Oh, you are the David Alade.” One day in London, someone said the same thing. They spoke with me as if they already knew me—and indeed, they did. More than anything else in my life, writing has helped me the most in building my network. And, as I mentioned above, it has also been my tool for staying in touch.
  4. I write because I hope people find my work useful. I have been immensely helped by the writing of others. Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I had not read certain things. And since I have the ability and means to write, I feel a responsibility to do so. I’m also deeply grateful for the number of people who have told me that my writing has helped them.

I considered writing this article necessary because, by my own definition, I’ve taken a break from writing for a while. As I claw my way back out of my shell, I find myself genuinely asking the question, “Why do you write?” Also, in the past week, I shared my second reason with some people, and I hadn’t realised it was one of my reasons until I did.

Here’s the thing: I think I might keep this page alive on my blog and continue updating it as I discover more reasons why I write. For now, those are the four I’d like to highlight.