It’s dangerous to be a lone writer.
Because writing is such a solitary pursuit, unless we have other writers to interact with, we can lose our perspective and objectivity, especially where our own writing is concerned. And while we know that everyone’s path is unique, sometimes we compare ourselves to others and find ourselves lacking.
When that happens, the voices in our heads pontificate, and we believe them.
Here’s what the voices are telling me right now:
- What I’m writing is not very good.
- I’ll never get a book into print.
- If I haven’t broken through yet, it’ll never happen—I’m too old.
In my darkest moments, I believe those negative voices. I’m ready to quit. I’m poised to pivot. I’ll be a reader or a quilter instead. I’ll spend my time practicing piano. I’ll throw myself into Zentangle, or drawing, or painting. There are so many better ways I could spend my life, so many things I’d rather be doing.
I love all those things. I squeeze them in. In between my writing.
Because I’m addicted to writing. No, I’m committed to writing.
I hate it. I love it. I can’t not write.
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So I remind myself:
- I’m a better writer now than I was a few years ago. I keep growing.
- Writing is a challenging career. The most important ingredient of success is perseverance.
- Some people take longer than others to reach their goals.
So, why am I writing this article? To vent? A little. But also because I know someone else out there is hearing those same discouraging pronouncements from the voices in her head.
I want to say, I’ve been there. I know what you’re going through. Don’t give up. Write for yourself. Write for that one person who needs to read what you’re writing. Trust that someday, some way, your words will get into that reader’s hands.
Cultivate friendships with the writers you meet. If we don’t have writer friends to talk to, we don’t learn the true story of how most (dare I say all?) writers struggle, and have unsold manuscripts on their computers that they spent years working on, and have setbacks along the way to success. Writers are incredibly generous with advice. Read websites like this one to learn how to be an even better writer.
Above all, don’t believe the lies. Prove them false. Hang in there. You can do it.
ARHuelsenbeck is a former elementary general music teacher ARHuelsenbeck blogs about the arts and the creative process at ARHtistic License. She is currently writing picture books and short stories, and a Middle Grades novel and submitting a poetry chapbook, with mystery and YA drafts waiting in the wings. You can follow her on Twitter, and see some of her artwork, photography, and quilts on Instagram.
This post literally replied to the negative thoughts I was having five minutes before I read it. Thanks.
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I’m so happy to have been of help.
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Thank you for the encouragement. It can get rough sometimes, with our own inner critics, but you’re also right on the importance of perseverance.
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Sometimes we need a little reminder.
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Agreed.
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Hi. I’m one of those writers who you’ve been trying to reach, hoping your words will end up on their head.
I think the same way. One day,.
It’ll happen one day,..
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Just wanted to say, thank you so much.
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