You Do You
I’ve been writing for about fifteen years now and it’s taken
me this long to figure something out. Something I should’ve learned a long time
ago. You ready for this? Because it’s mind blowing.
You don’t have to write like
anybody else. You can be you with your words and your stories and that’s okay.
Yeah, I know what you’re thinking . . . “Seriously? It took you a decade and a half to figure that out? Sheesh.
Slow learner or what?”
But it’s not like that. Of course I knew, just like
everyone, that you must have a unique voice to your writing. That’s what sets
your writing apart. Yet I always aspired to be like my favorite authors,
creating stories they would approve of, mimicking their style, and that is so restrictive. No, it’s worse. It chokes
the life out of your own writing.
If you sit down to play
the comparison game, you will lose.
So here’s some free advice: don’t do that. Easier said than
done, I know, but here are some affirmations for you to print out on sticky
notes and slap on your wall. Hopefully it will take less than 15 years to be
freed from the bondage of conformance.
Write like you think.
Don’t write how you think you should.
Embrace your
passions.
Don’t embrace what you think are marketable passions.
Everyone’s voice has
value.
Your voice is as important as any other authors, and their
voice is as important as yours, leaving no space for pride or degradation.
Creation is not right
or wrong, it just is.
There isn’t a correct way to tell a story nor an absolute
wrong way. A riveting story is riveting no matter the style it’s told in.
The art you create is
as unique as yourself.
Art is subjective. Some will love it. Others hate it. Your
goal is to create, not to get everyone to like what you create.
Sure, these all seem like common sense ideas, and they are,
but agreeing with them and believing them are two different things. There is
freedom in believing. Freefall into it. You won’t be sorry.