The moment I began my writing career, my work no longer felt good enough. Words I once believed to be potent rapidly turned stale. Thoughts and ideas felt redundant. Inspiration called out to me each way I turned. Yet the fear of not being good enough sabotaged my efforts to turn this inspiration into…something, anything.
One night I stared at a page for nearly three hours. No idea I had felt worthy of creation. Nonetheless, I finally forced myself to write..and write…and write. I felt the ease wash over me as I penned mediocre thoughts. And then the magical part of creation began. The clouds parted, skies opened and a stream of golden words poured over the once blank page. Sure, the sparkling sensation of a creative flow is fleeting. The fire it ignites within a writer, however, is what leads us to chase that high that we never forget.
Whether writing for a small audience, a major publisher, or just for yourself, it’s natural to second guess the worth of your words. Whispered doubts and hesitations creep into every artist’s mind from time to time. Some days that pesky voice will force you to ask, “why should I even keep writing?” Thankfully, we have a list ahead of five amazing reasons why you should! Find the reasons that help you transmute your fears into the faith you need to carry on writing. You never know just how close you are to striking your next piece of literary gold!
1. To Release
“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
-Anne Frank
The mind tends to be a chaotic playground for writers. Thoughts can lead to stunning inspiration and powerful prose just as easily as they can breed indecision and self-doubt. Get the thoughts out of your head and onto paper to clear the way for ease in your mind! Whatever they may be, you can set the worries and tension down in the pages to throw away or save for your next piece!
2. To Retrace
“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”
-Anaïs Nin
Hindsight truly is 20/20. Writing it all out makes the memories clearer and events visible. Write to break down just how far you have come. Write to note the wins, honor the losses and commemorate all that has come and gone. Writing our experiences solidifies their place in history. It shows they were real, tangible moments that helped us become the people we are today.
3. To Create
“You can make anything by writing.”
-C.S. Lewis
As writers, we are alchemists by nature. We hold the power to bend and mold everyday life into the magical wonderland we have always longed for. The catch is that the world cannot exist unless you create it. No one has the same exact visions, dreams or words you have. So only you hold the power to put something into the world that otherwise would have never existed!
4. To Inspire
“Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.”
–Barbara Kingsolver
Consider the times literature has found you in perfect timing. You know — those moments when you’re skimming pages, minding your own business and then BOOM. A sentence sinks into your core and forces goosebumps to crawl over your skin. The exact words you needed found their way to you in wonderfully divine timing! These sacred experiences only occur when a writer is brave enough to create their story. Writers likely have no idea when the right reader will stumble upon their work. But because they trust that their words will find those who need them, a reader is forever changed. Maybe your work is meant to provide that comfort and inspiration to someone else. You’ll never know if you don’t!
5. To Improve
“Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.”
–William Faulkner
Your best is yet to come! Maybe you haven’t reached your idea of success yet. Or perhaps you have and the fear of losing it is what keeps you from trying again. Either way one thing remains true. It is utterly impossible to write the next Great American Novel if you do not write. The odds are that your first few drafts will be disastrous. Perfect, that means you are right on track! Make a million rough drafts and edits. Throw them all out and begin again a thousand times. Each time you pick up your pen, you are one step closer to striking literary gold!
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Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash
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