Okay so I was thinking, and my thoughts were confirmed when a fellow writer highlighted them in their Instagram stories.
I genuinely do not think there is as much self-doubt in any profession as there is in writing (and other performing arts) industries. Alright, perhaps entrepreneurship too.
Can you honestly think of any other industry that faces as many questions and ridicule as writers & co do?
Like, if someone wanted to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer, people wouldn’t think twice. Maybe they might comment on how long it takes or how competitive the field is, but that’s that. People respect the profession.
But you tell someone that you write?
insert Fran Fine’s euch sound
I don’t think I need to tell you twice the type of questions and comments you receive. You’ve experienced it yourself, or at the very least witnessed others receive them.
Whilst others feel it’s a given that they’d eventually pursue their desired careers successfully, writers are often focusing on the worst case scenario.
Perhaps it’s the pessimistic stereotype established by the generations before us.
Perhaps it’s the constant questioning and ridicule from others.
Perhaps it’s the fact we’re too nice and haven’t decided to tell people where to go (politely, of course- remember that people are projecting their own experiences onto you).
You scroll through Twitter and it’s constant negative tweet after negative tweet.
Failure, failure, rejection, more failure, astronomical self-doubt, more failure.
And then people say: “well, that’s just how it is.”
Yes, the creative industries are more subjective than any others. Yes, there’s a lot of rejection.
But there’s also a lot of opportunities.
And remember: what we focus on, grows. Where focus goes, energy flows.
The more you take on these stories, the more it’s going to affect your subconscious mind.
Just because someone else took 132 queries before they finally got an agent, does not mean it has to be your story too. You could send in your query on the first go and BAM! The agent loves it. Maybe you meet someone randomly, tell them your idea and they sign you. Maybe it takes 3 or 4 queries. Maybe someone finds you on social media. Be open.
Just because someone else is experiencing the worst writer’s block ever experienced, does not mean it has to be your story too. Firstly, there’s no such thing as writer’s block. Secondly, you have no idea what’s going on in their life to have them experience it.
Just because someone else finds writing ridiculously difficult, does not mean it has to be your story too. If stories flow through you easily, you’re not doing ANYTHING wrong. Ease does not equal something wrong.
I have a task for you:
I want you to write down your writing story. What do you truly believe about your writing? What do you think about your writing success? How do you feel about querying? Do you think you will get published? If I told you that all your writing dreams will come true, what feelings come up? What makes you think you can achieve it? What makes you think you can’t? Is there any aspect of “hardness” in your story? Do you think you need to suffer before you succeed?
Then take a look back at everything you wrote. Does it sit well with you? Are you happy with what that story looks like?
If yes, brilliant.
If not, here’s the fun part: rewrite it.
Decide how easy you want it to be.
And then keep looking over it.
Keep doing that every single day. Start with the next 21, and then keep going.