I was talking to a talented colleague recently about a project he and I were both working on and our conversation eventually turned to his one-time thoughts of writing.
“I thought about starting a blog about graphic design years ago,” he told me. “I got everything set up and even wrote a post or two. But then when I had a couple posts done I realized I didn’t have as much to say about the topic as I’d thought. So I gave up on the idea.”
I’ve worked with this guy long enough to know that self-evaluation is far from accurate, and looking back at the conversation I realize that the real problem wasn’t that he didn’t have anything more to say, but rather that he didn’t feel that he had anything more of value to add to the conversation that already existed in the blogosphere.
It’s a feeling I’m all too familiar with, and one of the reasons I’ve fallen behind on updating my blog, apart from having a number of back-to-back projects (which isn’t a bad problem to have).
What can I say that hasn’t already been said?
Some days it feels like there are so many voices clamoring for attention all at once it’s a wonder anyone is ever heard at all. Perhaps you’re feeling the same way about your current writing situation.
But here’s the thing. You were given your own voice for a reason. And the words that have been placed on your heart were put there for a purpose that may yet to be discovered.
Your work. Your craft. Your creations. They all matter.
Your current WIP might not land you an agent or on a Top Seller list, but that doesn’t mean it’s wasted. Every word you type and every sentence you polish today makes you a better writer than you were yesterday. Don’t believe me? Just take a look back at some of your original manuscripts. (If you’re just starting writing, hold on to them for future reference. You’ll marvel at the change!)
My dear friend Xochitl Dixon is just one of the many examples I have in my life of that. When we first met back in 2010, she was already a good writer. As I’m reading through her first published book, I’m seeing how all the ups and downs she’s experienced and all the articles and short stories she’s written in the years since we first met have really developed her voice into one that stands out in a crowd.
The same can be said of my other writing besties, Lindsay Franklin, whose debut novel has now won multiple awards. Why? Because she took the time to discover her voice and find a story that resonates deeply with readers from numerous backgrounds.
Emotions are cruel masters
Being discouraged with the writing process and feeling like we don’t have something of value to add to the conversation is common to writers (and artists) of all levels. But—as I was recently reminded—emotions make great servants and horrible masters. They twist and swirl like dust motes in ever-shifting air currents and are far too tiny and unstable to give your feet a solid place to stand. Better to anchor yourself to the never-shifting rock that is the Author of your creative spirit.
Whatever you’re feeling about your writing today—excitement, fear, anticipation—put it to work for you rather than allowing it to dominate you. If you need a little help, go back to your “Why.” If you don’t have one yet, take some time to figure it out. It’ll serve as a lifeline when the feelings and the cacophony of internal and external voices threaten to spill over you like tumultuous waves.
Keep writing!
