“The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me.” –Ayn Rand
Is there someone telling you you can’t write or that you should stop trying? Is that kind of message coming from an expert you trust or from somewhere deep inside yourself?
What you may not know about grammar, spelling or pacing you can learn. Every published author started somewhere and every published author has a weakness they’ve learned to overcome. Persistence and perseverance are far better tools, and often far more useful, than a reliance on natural talent.
You, as the writer, should be the only one defining your limits.
When I was in sixth grade we had a poetry project in our Language Arts class that involved creating a book of original poems based on certain styles ranging from haiku to limericks. I gave this project my best effort and in the eyes of my teacher, I came up short. I have never forgotten the displeasure on her face after I recited one of my poems in front of the class or the way she held up my book and declared it some of the worst poetry ever. It was a low moment, and one that can still bring me to tears, although for different reasons.
While I consider poetry one of the most subjective forms of writing, I also believe that no one at the sixth grade level is a master of even their strongest, most natural skills.
To be productive with your writing and make it work for you, it’s imperative to tune out noisy, inaccurate assessment. Not always easy, but imperative. You must purge the messages that create roadblocks so you can reach your full potential. How? By sticking with it and moving forward with your writing efforts each day.
A healthy writing life can allow you to fully explore where you’ve been, identify the experiences that have shaped you, and help you determine how you want to move forward. Embrace the liberating truth that as a writer you are in control of characters, of the viewpoint, or simply of the joy of exploring ideas.
What goal are you ready to aim for with unstoppable focus?
Live the writing adventure!
25Apr2018
Excerpt from 31 Days of Purpose: Inspiration for Your Writing Journey volume 2
