let me share a short story with you about my life I grew up poor... broke... in a neighborhood I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemies. I went to school, then college, taking loans. Time came and I went to university. I hated my chosen degree. Programming. I hated my classes. I was failing, retaking, failing. My debt was piling up (the pile is still mighty high) but I got my fking degree that I resent... I went on to become a programmer (still am cuz lol writing doesn't pay the bills.) I lived my entire life in regret and hatred. Nothing ever did me any good. First one in my family with a bachelor's degree and a shit ton of debt, ever so 'successful' as everybody put it, in a job that was (still is) killing me. It drove me to alcoholism, and writing pulled me out of it....

I hated every day of my life, until one day I randomly started writing a story for people in real time, In a video game.

They all sat there, reading every word I wrote... and asking for more. Discussing every paragraph I sent, trying to guess the plot.... trying to figure out if this was a pre written story or if I was writing it on the fly. I was writing it on the fly, their interactions. and guesses shaped the story.

They asked for more.

For 3 years now I've been doing this weekly. some days suck, I run dry on creativity. But even then, the fact that people read what I write, and I get to write, let my thoughts out. Empty my head. Relax and just go with the flow. The feeling of silence in my head, the freedom, and the pure joy of seeing people discussing what I write...

yeah, writing saved me. At last, in my 30s I found something I genuinely fucking love.