Creative effort is an invaluable way to harness our self-expression. However, If not exercised enough, it can be daunting: the pursuit of discovering potential abilities… or lack thereof. It can feel unnatural or uncomfortable to even try. Unfortunately, in a world where broadcasting from others is thrust down our throats, it can be difficult to find our identity amidst all the noise.
I have – quite unabashedly – sought to find some greater fulfilment in my own life… (I was advised to refer to this as a ‘sabbatical’…. for potential/future employers).
I’m sure we all have a hobby that we have put to one side, not recognising we had the artistic talent or ability to monetise on it. A dream shoved into a drawer only to pull out upon retirement “wishing we had something to show for our 40 years in the workforce”.
…This is not to encourage us to whimsically abandon our day job solely to nurse the artist within. That being said, I do believe that if there is an outlet we seem to be continuously drawn to, it is important we set time aside to nurture it, or at least give it the proper opportunity to flourish. Like any muscle in our body, it requires regular movement.
If you won’t hear it from me, you might take it from our literary icon Stephen King:
“…You have a short life span. You need to stop this crap about sitting there and talking about what we do, and actually do it. Because God gave you some talent, but he also gave you a certain number of years…”
The Paris Review, Issue #178
To put into practise the preaching’s of Mr King; I forced myself to sit down without distraction and produced what can only be described as a ‘written purge’ – I released the Kraken – pen, to paper. Admittedly, it was short-lived (I think I amounted approximately 250 words). Not a best-selling novel by any means… But what I couldn’t ignore? I enjoyed myself.
‘Write drunk; Edit sober’
Rueben, Rueben (1964)
The following morning I woke up with a story I couldn’t seem to shake. You can identify that something worthwhile must be brewing if it plagues all thought before sleep, and your first thoughts waking up.
I hesitantly sent a picture to my Twin Sister. ‘What do you think of this?’
Whether she liked it or not, or was merely stroking my ego, is irrelevant. My joy in sharing and her subsequent joy in reading, stirred to life a passion I had yearned for since my first attempt at a novel on Wattpad in 2016.
Admittedly, sharing your work can make you feel incredibly vulnerable. Self-confidence in this state is fragile, especially if you are opening yourself up to criticism that you are likely not ready to receive. Your first draft is not meant to be shared with others, or be a representation of your complete vision. If you are seeking praise, maybe to give you enough reassurance to persevere through your project, it is more often than not going to be counterproductive. You are unlikely to get the response you want, while criticism can rouse you to feel defensive, rejected, embarrassed.
Like anything new, you will be clumsy, and inexperienced. We do not start out as ‘professional writers’ by any means. However, not submitting your work until it is ready can be the reason you are finding it difficult to stick to your writing habits and stay on track. There is no accountability for your work unless you take it upon yourself.
Not to seek feedback, but to write without inhibition, I’ve find is a liberating way to “write your way out of a slump.” Regardless of what the piece will achieve. If you have lost your motivation or creativity – I can suggest ‘writing sprints’ to be a great place to start.
The ingredients for success are in your thoughts, passion and intentions. Any negative self-talk/self-doubt that prevents you from doing so comes from a fight or flight instinct none of us can escape. Our brains are wired to avoid pain, therefore if something is challenging, we have to make a more conscious effort to tackle our productivity, or our brain will attempt to avoid it altogether.
Admittedly, I am both blessed and cursed with the trait ‘perfectionist’ – an easy thing to state in a job interview, not so much to acknowledge as an obstacle in everyday life. While it’s practicality can be beneficial, it condemns me to procrastination, the fear of failure and prevention to get anything very far off the ground. After all, the idea of the finished product tends to be so romanticised that it becomes almost too difficult to perceive to be a reality.
The only advice I can give, is that if you are lucky enough to be inclined to this calling, instead of researching, watching videos or even listening to a podcast on ‘how to start writing’. The best thing to do, is just so. Switch off the noise and start writing. Do not try to write the perfect first line. Write one line. Then another, until you have a string of words that somewhat resemble a sentence. It can be anything you want – that’s the beauty of art.
‘If you’re going to make progress you’re going to have to be prepared to experiment. You might already not be liking the sound of this, as experiments can end in failure – Indeed, they are often expected to. A scientist may carry out hundreds of experiments before she can discover the combination that works……Failures are needful; none of them is absolute. Every success stands on the shoulders of multiple failures.’
The Book You Need to Write the Book You Want to Write’ by Sarah Burton, Jem Poster
If we write with the intention purely to appease ourselves – while the enjoyment of others may or may not be of consequence – we at least have a source to create our own happiness. Entertaining the only audience that really matters. You, the Writer.
‘All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us’
J.R.R Tolkien
