Know thyself
“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
You are not J.K. Rowling.
You don’t need to be.
You’re also not Louisa May Alcott, William Shakespeare, L. M. Montgomery, John Steinbeck, Brandon Sanderson, Mark Twain, Ursula K. Le Guin, etc. etc. etc.
You don’t need to be them. You’re even better. You’re you.
Other writers—experienced and not—will tell you to write like so-and-so, or write at this time of day, or keep this schedule, or use this tool. They are just trying to help, but only listen with half an ear—or half your ears.
Take the advice they give you graciously, use whatever helps you, and discard the rest.
Most importantly, don’t listen to yourself. Many times your inner critic will tell you that you’re not good enough unless you write as much as so-and-so or that so-and-so writes better characters, or that you’ll never be a good writer until you make a story as intricate and long as so-and-so.
Don’t listen to yourself. Know yourself.
Get to know your strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you have weaker characters, but powerful plots. Maybe your theming is amazing. Maybe your process is perfect for you. Maybe you take 20 years to write your masterpiece.
No matter what you are, get to know yourself and be content with who you are. Because the world needs you. Not another Charlotte Brontë.
Create your own Idlewild. Write for the enjoyment, write for yourself, write for your passions. You have to know what those are before you can unlock your true potential.
We’ve been a secret organization for a long time, but we’re out in public now. Learn about us. If you write, join us.
