Writing
The Unforeseen Struggles of Finding My Voice as a Writer
…..and how to overcome them.
Quite often, people text me, send me a few words or lines, and say,
“Check this; I need a last stanza to this, or suggest something quirky, or add a line, quick!”
Sometimes, during conversations, if I express my inability or limitations as a writer, I hear remarks such as,
“You are a writer, and you don’t know how to do this?!”
Or I am tested,
“You write poetry too, then let us hear something,”
Or challenges are thrown randomly,
“Let’s compete, answer this…”
Then they comfortably quote somebody else’s poem as if it were their own while you are expected to answer with an original one instead, instantly!
Alright people, hold your horses. You cannot put me to the test like this. Recognition comes with a downside, I accept. I am a writer but I am human too and ‘to err is human’.
I am not Chatgpt or some similar AI software that can mindlessly throw out stuff in your face the moment you enter relevant keywords. With due respect to all AI followers, I consider it a convenience when it comes to gathering information, researching a topic, or doing anything pertaining to the left side of the brain — but for creativity, I think our right brains are more competent, and we shall discuss that later in another article.
Mindlessness is the antonym of Creativity. A creative person has to be set free to be inspired to create — be it a writer, a singer, or an artist. Creation is the one thing that cannot be mechanized as per your whims and fancies. Creations occur where boundaries end.
In general, people consider you to be a convenience. They pin their expectations on you. Then you are stuck in the web of validation, approval, and trying to prove your worth, that too on demand and within a set time limit! That’s how the mind works, right? If you pressurize the person or hold him up against the wall, well, for me, it is akin to abuse.
‘He thinks I’m capable, so he asked me, ‘ I’ll have to perform, or else I will lose credibility. They would mock me, andI would be a laughing stock!!?’
The anxiety to perform and to live up to expectations makes us push boundaries. I wouldn’t deny that such challenges make us better and help us learn, but do we need them? Don’t we know who we are and what we are worth? Do we need just about anyone to validate our skills? Shouldn’t that be left to the experts?
Bestselling author Steve Pressfield, emphasizes in his book “The War of Art” the need for cultivating good habits as a writer and believing in yourself. A few pointers from his book (1) —
- As an author, one should not pay attention to what other people think. You don’t require their permission or praise.
- Never try to show off or compete with any writer; you should not prove yourself to anyone.
- Rather than thinking about others’ opinions of you, concentrate on your own performance.
- Be ready to work hard and go through the tough stages of the writing process.
- Self-confidence is key; believe in yourself as well as your skills as a writer. Don’t allow fear or self-doubt hold you back.
To the world — If someone is blessed or working on a talent, an out-of-the-way talent, please respect the boundaries and do not burden them with your expectations because, knowingly or unknowingly, you are putting them to the test, you are putting their passion, their love, the thing closest to their hearts to test and that is incorrect.
To the creators or the tested ones — Relax. Don’t consider it to be a validation gimmick. You can pull back, set your boundaries, and discipline people without feeling guilty. Most importantly, believe in yourself. You cannot keep everyone happy, so the best thing is to keep yourself happy first. Remember, happiness is contagious; spread the sunshine. 🙂
Citation
- Pressfield, Steve. The War of Art. Black Irish Entertainment LLC, 2012.
