Balancing Between Soul Writer And Social Writer Within You
The Soul vs Social Writer Series - Part 6
What have we learnt so far?
The final piece of the puzzle is finding a balance between the Soul Writer and Social Writer within us.
Whether you know it or not, you have both the writers in you and finding your sweet spot with them will result in a satisfying writing life.
Step 1: What does your personality look like?
Introvert or Extrovert?
Intuitive or Sensory?
What's your zodiac sign?
What's your gender?
The ratio of feminine and masculine energy in you?
How was your upbringing?
As a child, were you a people-pleaser or a rebel?
Do you prefer being on stage or in a library?
Who are your role models?
How we grow up influences how we interact with the world. And it also shapes what kind of writer we might become. Understanding your personality will help you understand the personality of the writer in you because they go hand in hand.
Step 2: What percentage of each Writer are you?
You are both Soul and Social Writer. One might be dormant, but that doesn't mean it's not there and can't show up.
I am 80% Soul - 20% Social Writer.
I write for myself first and then mould it into something others might find helpful. I can't write with an outline; I need to let my fingers fly on the keyboard without any obstruction. Whatever I write, I need it to be my truth. Following trends is not my cup of tea, and being too social drains me.
So what percentage of each Writer are you? This is something you just know.
If you need help, you can read the previous essays in this series to understand the characteristics of each and find out how much of each you are.
Step 3: Balancing the Soul Writer and Social Writer
You might look at my 80% Soul - 20% Social and say, "Hey! That's out of balance." But it's not. That's because this is my sweet spot.
In the first essay of this series, I share my experience where I went too much on the Social side and therefore lost my Soul side. That's what we want to avoid. We don't want to lose one for the other.
I might go from 80% Soul - 20% Social to 60-40 or even 50-50. And it will move, given where I am in my writing journey. But if I go 20-80, the writer in me starts to suffocate and die.
So if you are 20% Soul - 80% Social, try to stick to it. Find your sweet spot, and don't sway away too much in either direction.
But why is it important to keep this balance?
As I said in this essay's introduction, enjoy a satisfying writing life.
You can be just a Soul Writer or just a Social Writer.
I have heard of writers who write for themselves and never share it with anyone - and they are happy.
I have seen writers who parrot their knowledge and sell it without putting their heart into it - and they are happy.
So if you have to be just one of the two kinds - it's completely fine.
But if you embrace the other kind, you'll have a far more enriching experience.
When I first dreamt of becoming a writer, my dream wasn't just to write. It was -
"It would be so amazing if I could make others feel the way Agatha Christie makes me feel."
The dream is for me as well as others, through me.
So, yes, I could stay a Soul Writer and write for myself, but that would be just half of the piece. That is what I did from 2016-2021, and I knew something was missing. It wasn't until August 2021, when I got in touch with my Social side and started sharing my thought online, that I finally found the other missing piece.
Rubina Gauri Gomes, the writer, started to thrive and bloom when she embraced both her Soul and her Social.
The same will happen to the writer in you.
It's like Yin and Yang. You have AND need both.
The Soul vs Social Writer Series -
Which Kind Of Writer Are You? - A Soul Writer Or A Social Writer?
What Does It Mean To Be A Soul Writer?
How To Know, Become And Stay A Soul Writer?
What Does It Mean To Be A Social Writer?
How To Know, Become And Stay A Social Writer?
Balancing Between Soul Writer And Social Writer. (this post)