Kitana the Universe Collision Specialist (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kitana) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
copper_street2010-01-05 11:47 pm
kitana) wrote in copper_street2010-01-05 11:47 pm
some helpful advice from your friendly neighborhood "Idiot's Guide"
Hi all!
I recently bought The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Beating Writer's Block as a way to jump start myself and for some entertainment. There is a part of the book I really identified with and wanted to share with you all.
A lot of people -- artists especially -- have a tendency to think that "writer" (or "poet" or "musician" or whatever) is some sort of definable, fixed identity. What that definition is, they might not know exactly... but they keep believing that it exists and they keep chasing after it. They might think being a writer doesn't count unless you've actually published. They might have a vague notion that being a writer requires a certain level of devotion or commitment or a particular lifestyle. They might believe that artists are born, not made. Worse yet, there are plenty of critics around, amateur and professional alike, who insist on trying to separate the "real" writers and artists from their presumably inadequate brethren.
If you want to define writer, check the dictionary. My dictionary says a writer is "a person who writes." Don't waste a moment wondering if you're really a writer. If you get caught up in pondering that kind of nonsense, not only will yor faith in yourself erode but you won't have any time left to write. Then you really won't be a writer.
I definitely find myself sometimes going "I haven't written in ages, how can I be a writer?" or "If I don't write x amount, I'm not being very writer-like!"
It is kind of an eye-opener to read that passage and think "man, I've been sabotaging myself this entire time."
Hopefully one of you find it as useful as I did. :D
I recently bought The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Beating Writer's Block as a way to jump start myself and for some entertainment. There is a part of the book I really identified with and wanted to share with you all.
A lot of people -- artists especially -- have a tendency to think that "writer" (or "poet" or "musician" or whatever) is some sort of definable, fixed identity. What that definition is, they might not know exactly... but they keep believing that it exists and they keep chasing after it. They might think being a writer doesn't count unless you've actually published. They might have a vague notion that being a writer requires a certain level of devotion or commitment or a particular lifestyle. They might believe that artists are born, not made. Worse yet, there are plenty of critics around, amateur and professional alike, who insist on trying to separate the "real" writers and artists from their presumably inadequate brethren.
If you want to define writer, check the dictionary. My dictionary says a writer is "a person who writes." Don't waste a moment wondering if you're really a writer. If you get caught up in pondering that kind of nonsense, not only will yor faith in yourself erode but you won't have any time left to write. Then you really won't be a writer.
I definitely find myself sometimes going "I haven't written in ages, how can I be a writer?" or "If I don't write x amount, I'm not being very writer-like!"
It is kind of an eye-opener to read that passage and think "man, I've been sabotaging myself this entire time."
Hopefully one of you find it as useful as I did. :D
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