Baking Cakes Made Me A Better Writer.

Becoming A Writer

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Baking Cakes Made Me A Better Writer.

Episode 20 of Becoming A Writer podcast.

Jun 21, 2024

Transcript

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Author Note: This newsletter and podcast is going on a summer break for the whole month of July. We’ll be back to regular publishing of new essays and episodes from August 3rd.

Hello, my writer friends! Rubina here. For our twentieth conversation, we are going to talk about how baking cakes made me a better writer.

I am a writer. But I am also a baker.

I love writing and sharing my thoughts and stories, and I love baking and sharing my baked goods. I find Writing and Baking therapeutic. They both require work as well, but it's the kind of work I enjoy doing. Both Writing and Baking are the means for and the end to becoming a more fulfilled human being.

It was while baking one of my cakes that I realised that Writing and Baking are quite similar.

Yes, both are creative endeavours but more than that, they have similar processes as well. Let me walk you through it.

Both start off with the essential ingredients. This phase is the simplest to figure out.

Baking a cake requires flour, sugar, butter, essence, eggs, milk, baking powder and baking soda.

Writing a book requires an idea, a scene, a sentence, and a character.

Then, we slowly mix them up. This phase takes the most time and requires hard work.

First, the sugar and butter are mixed. Then, one by one, go the eggs. A few drops of essence, a dash of milk. On the side, the flour, baking powder and baking soda join forces, and then they merge with the first mixture. Poured into a pan, and they have reached their end. But the cake is not done yet. It hasn't fulfilled its purpose yet.

A character in a setting. An incident that will turn events. Decisions are made, and consequences are faced. A couple of wins and a couple of failures. A side plot to add more spice to the story. Eventually, it all comes together for one final victory. Finally, the precious two words are typed – The End. But the story doesn't end there. It hasn't fulfilled its purpose yet.

Now, we have to push them into the unknown. This phase is a scary one.

It's time to put the cake into the oven. We make sure the temperature of the oven is correct. We make sure we didn't forget any ingredients. We make sure we set the time right. We make sure we did our best for this cake to fulfil its purpose. But in order for that to happen, we have to let go of the cake.

It's time to put the book out into the world. We make sure the cover is on point, the grammar correct, and the message clear. We make sure we reach the right people who will love this book. We make sure we did our best for this book to fulfil its purpose. But in order for that to happen, we have to let go of the book.

Now we wait. This phase is one of excitement and anxiety.

Now that the cake is out of our hands, it has to face the heat of the oven. Will it turn out okay? Will what we imagined about the cake, its taste, and its texture come true? Will others like it? Will it be loved? What if it's not loved? What if it is loved?

Now that the book is out of our hands, it has to face the heat of the world. Will it turn out okay or not? Will what we imagined about the book, its story, and its success come true? Will readers like it or not? Will it be loved? What if it's not loved? What if it is loved?

The final moment has arrived. It's result time.

You sit there anxiously while others take a slice of your cake. And now they take a bite. You stare at their faces, waiting for a reaction. Hoping for a good one. You are praying to all the gods and goddesses you remember. You also pray to your lost loved ones for good measure. You see the eater of your cake look up at you and smile. You let out a sigh of relief. Has the cake now fulfilled its purpose? Yes. It has.

You sit there anxiously while others pick up your book. And now they read. You stare at their faces, waiting for a reaction. Hoping for a good one. You are praying to all the gods and goddesses you remember. You also pray to your lost loved ones for good measure. You see the reader of your book look up at you and smile. You let out a sigh of relief. Has the book fulfilled its purpose? Yes. It has.

But what if they look up and don't smile?

Has the cake and the book still fulfilled its purpose? Yes. It has. It has told you that there is more learning and figuring out. So, you ask the eater of your cake and the reader of your book what went wrong. You let go of unhelpful and unproductive feedback and gather the constructive ones. You thank them for their help and time. You sulk a little, but only a little. Then you dust yourself, get up and try again.

In short, for your writing to fulfil its purpose, it requires from you time, space, patience, a leap of faith and love.

As we give these to our writing, something very magical happens.

I have been baking cakes for eternity now. As a child, during Christmas, I would help and accompany my mother, gathering the ingredients and heading to the bakery to bake that year's quota of Christmas cakes. Then, at home, I would watch my mother bake a couple of chocolate cake logs - my personal stock for Christmas. As I grew up, I took over mixing the ingredients, mind you, in those days by hand.

Over the next couple of decades, the whole process of baking cakes shifted to me. And not just during Christmas but all year long.

With almost three decades of observing and baking cakes, I have reached a point where I can bake a pound cake with my eyes closed. The ingredients, the measurement, the effect of the weather, the temperature of the oven, the time required to bake - all this information has imprinted itself in my mind.

I don't need to measure every bit of every ingredient minutely anymore; I now bake a cake out of habit. There is no second guessing; there is no fear. There is just making sure all that's needed for this best cake to be baked has happened, and then I just flow with it.

Nine out of ten times, the cakes turn out perfect.

The same I am realising is the case with my writing.

If I have all the tools I need to finish my writing... If I have taken into account how the day is unfolding... If I have considered how I am - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually... If I have placed a healthy boundary with my work day... If I have let myself write freely... If I am writing what wants to be written, not what I think will be read... If I pat myself on the back for showing up, not for the outcome...

Then, nine out of ten times, I have a fun and satisfying writing session.

Repeating this process over and over again has built my confidence and trust in myself that I can do this. Writing has now become my second nature.

Now, I don't need to think about what to write. I show up at my desk with a cup of coffee and a slice of cake, and the writing happens on its own.

Well, that's it for today. Next time we meet, we'll talk about giving ourselves mental rest to enjoy a better writing life.

Until then, keep writing, my friend.