The most important thing a writer can do for their craft and/or their career is to know themselves. And I mean truly, madly, deeply know thyself and the stories that are theirs to tell. If they don’t, they will never be able to break through the noise. Never be able to create a body of work with a unique, clear and consistent voice. Never be able to weather the storms inherent in the marathon that is the writer’s journey. And certainly never be able to one day, stand up proudly, and promote their work, for all to read.
We live in a noisy, noisy, product-obsessed world that tells writers that the only thing that matters is that finished novel or script. Or no, wait, the only thing that matters is a published or produced novel or script. Or no, wait, the only thing that matters is an award winning, best selling book or script that everyone knows and loves. Anything short of that means you don’t even have the right to call yourself a writer, and all your efforts to develop your craft is some form of “pipe dreaming”.
And then we build whole worlds and businesses around this ridiculousness. Putting the focus on external forces. Dissecting what has “worked”. What is “popular”. And how we can create our own version of whatever that is, “quick”. The ticking clock is ever present. There’s no time for discovery. You better get your work out there, and it better be pleasing to the powers that be, or you shouldn’t be allowed to spend so much time and energy working on it.
It’s no wonder creatives (and potential creatives) are stressed, disconnected from their own work, accosted by their own internal judges and/or settling for their excuses about how they would create, but “they don’t have the time”.
They’re scared. And I don’t blame them. It’s unnatural this pressure we put on creatives.
If we were being honest, we’d admit that writers and creatives of all kinds have about as much knowledge of where their efforts will lead them, and what kind of success it will bring them, as a scientist does when they start an experiment. Sure, they have a hypothesis. They have a hope. But they shouldn’t be expected to know what will happen before they’ve even headed down the road and started experimenting. Newly sparked visions can’t withstand that kind of pressure, and they shouldn’t have to.
The true gift of creating, and expressing, is that it can be such a joyous, healthy and powerful journey to discover one’s self. And, if we’re lucky, it can also help others. But that kind of deep and beautiful discovery work takes time. It takes heart. It takes nurturing. And we’re missing it, inside this made up race to the finish line. It’s up to each of us to decide to pull back, remember what’s important and take the pressure off, because the world will never do it for us.
Once we truly give ourselves permission to step off the hamster wheel and sink into process, some of us will discover that finding ourselves and our voice is the best and easiest thing we’ve ever done. While for others, it will be the work of a lifetime. Some will create stories that will speak to the world and some will create stories that will become the roadmap for healing their lives. ALL are equally important. ALL serve a purpose and have a right to be pursued. And not a single one of them can be known until you get on, and stay on, the path.
I go back to what I said at the beginning, if you’re a writer with a goal to create things that move others, then the most important thing you can do is to give yourself the gift of space and time to get to know and move yourself, first. That is a journey you will never regret taking, no matter what the result ends up being. The side effects are brilliant.
If this speaks to you. If you’re ready to shake off outside expectations, and give yourself permission to find your unique voice, but realize you could use some support to get you going in the right direction, then hop on a 15 minute exploratory call with me by clicking HERE. Together we can explore what your individual hopes and dreams are and if any of our programs might be a right fit for you. Our programs are highly personal, and not right for everybody, but as my friend Kelly Carlin once said “for those it’s for. It’s a life raft in the middle of a raging sea.”
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