The Journey of a Writer (Part 1)
Am I a Writer Or Not?
I used to call myself an aspiring author. This was when I had an unhealthy relationship with my Inner Critic. When I allowed my insecurities and fears of being seen dictate my creativity. My Inner Critic encouraged me to put my words in a box, to hold them close with the belief that being vulnerable and seen wasn’t safe.
So, in the past I aspired to write. But I still wrote because writing was like breathing for my soul. The words might have been placed in a box, but they begged to escape my head, my fingers, my heart. Characters would cry out for recognition. Scenes would replay in my mind until I was forced to sink into the feeling, textures, emotions and fluidity. And when I would call myself an aspiring author, I’d ignore the hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach at the declaration.
I was in the closet. Hiding, holding on to some pointless shame, and the belief that I wasn’t good enough. The term Aspiring Author sometimes paralleled Closet Writer.
Then one day I came across an article, and for the life of me I cannot remember where or by who, but it called out the words Aspiring Author. It brought up the question, do you aspire to be an author, or are you an author?
I admit, I sat with this question for a long time. I realized I was holding…
