It’s been three years since I became a writer. I’ve always written things, but three years ago, I started setting the alarm, setting aside time, setting goals and deadlines. In those three years, I’ve learned A LOT from books, mentors, and conferences, but here are the things that I’ve had to figure out from myself.
Social media is what you make of it
When I started writing, I didn’t have any social media accounts. Yes, life was lovely under my rock. I couldn’t escape the messaging that I needed to connect with an audience and writing communities, so I took the plunge. At first, my experience confirmed my belief that social media was nothing more than a time suck full of disgruntled or narcissistic monsters. Then I figured out that each platform has its own personality, and they’re not all where I belong. I got better at being selective about who I follow, what content I block, and what alerts and notifications I allow (zero, by the way). I also learned that I can schedule my posts so that I control the time and attention I give to it.
Being a writer is energizing. Becoming an author is exhausting.
I love writing, even the tedious parts. When the alarm goes off in the morning, I don’t hit the snooze button or dread what awaits. I’m anxious to get back into that space. However, when I’ve blocked off time for writing query letters or book proposals, researching agents, or formatting a manuscript, I drag my feet and a dirge plays in the soundtrack of my imagination. I put it off and think of a million other things I could do with my time. If you’re toying with the idea of being a writer, go for it! It’s the best decision I ever made. If you want to be a published author, consider what else it will require of you. Most days, I’m content with writing.
Knowing why you write is as important as any routine.
In the pursuit of publication and finding an audience for your writing, you will encounter challenges (see the two points above). All of the books and blogs will tell you about how to write, how to build a platform, and how to get published.
It’s been my experience, though, that if you don’t know why you write, you won’t last long. I write historical fiction because I want to preserve my family’s legacy. I write prayers for teachers because I know how soul dependent their work can be. I write picture books because they capture snapshots of my own children’s lives. The reasons I have for writing are more powerful than the tedium, rejections, social media angst, and comparison.