I still hear a lot of guilt from some of you about not writing, not getting around to it or prioritizing it like "real" writers do. I'm not sure where all this writer's mythology is coming from, but anyway, is it helping? Has it ever?
I'd like to remind you that summer is for living our lives, living stories so we have something to write about in the dark days of the MN winter. Of course, that may be a Minnesotan writer's mythology, but it also might be true.
There are a few other writers' myths I've (we've?) heard over the years. Some of them may be true and even helpful, yet some of them are old stories serving harmful rather than life giving purposes. You would know for yourself which is what; how does the narrative you tell yourself about what being a writer is impact your writing process? For better or worse?
Do these sound familiar?
Writers are misfits.
Writers are tortured.
Writers drink.
Writers write every day, all day.
Writing is always hard.
Real writers don't take breaks to do the dishes or clean the house.
Real writers publish.
Writing is not going to make me any money.
Being a successful writer is going to solve everything and show them.
To be a good writer, I have to be published at the good places.
Well written emails or texts don't count as writing.
No one cares about that. No one will read that.
Someone else already wrote that.
I don't have a writing voice so I'm not a writer.
Etc, etc, etc....
Again, how does the narrative you tell yourself about what being a writer is impact your writing process? For better or worse? What if they were or weren't true?
Is it time for a new narrative? A more welcoming storyline?
So! What are you excited about writing? What do you loooove writing about? Sometimes not writing has to do with summer and sometimes it has more to do with losing touch with what you want to write about. So, try these:
I am afraid to write about...
because...
Someday I'd love to write about... but I need to finish working on ..... first before I can write what I want to write which is.....
I keep putting off writing about.... because....
If I had all the time in the world to write and could write whatever I wanted to, I would write....
What would help me feel more peace about writing and being a writer is...
