Persistence Helps You Inch Closer To Your Dream Writer Life.

Becoming A Writer

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Persistence Helps You Inch Closer To Your Dream Writer Life.

Episode 12 of Becoming A Writer podcast.

Rubina G Gomes

Apr 26, 2024

Transcript

Hello, my writer friends! Rubina here. For our twelfth conversation, we are going to talk about how persistence helps you inch closer to your dream writer life.

The definition of Persistent I found online says the following:

1. continuing to do something or to try to do something even though it is difficult or other people want you to stop

2. continuing beyond the usual, expected, or normal time; not stopping or going away

Simply put, being persistent means staying in the game no matter what.

When I first started playing the game Who Wants To Be A Published Author? I had told myself that I’d publish my novel within a year. Little did I know I had so much unlearning and relearning to do in life and in my writing.

25th May 2014 - I have the epiphany of becoming a writer.

2014 to 2017 - I started to rewire my belief system as a human and writer.

31st December 2017 – I lost my cousin brother 25 days before his 25th birthday. This acted as the necessary kick in my butt to get my life and writing together.

2018 to 2021 – After a ton of experimenting, I found my writing process.

2019 to 2020 – I tried to post self-help videos on YouTube and quickly realised it’s not a one-person job.

2020 to 2021 – I go back to writing and figure out how to make it really work this time.

2021 to 2023 - I put the process I learnt into practice in the public by writing and publishing my work online. Within three months, I knew I was a writer, and writing was what I was meant to do.

2022 – I come to terms with my daddy issues and their side effects, and I rekindle my relationship with my inner child.

2023 - I became a published author of a non-fiction book called Soul Writer vs. Social Writer written for you, my fellow writer friends.

So no, I didn’t publish my book in the first year, nor was it a novel. Thank God I didn’t publish my book in 2014-2015 because I wasn’t ready – I wasn’t ready to write it, publish it or tackle the reaction it would get from the readers. I was naïve and was working from an unhealed heart which wanted external validation to prove her existence.

I always knew I was a crime-fiction author, but in the process of finding myself as a human and a writer, I realised that I was much more than that and wasn’t even scratching the surface. Before I could write the thoughts and stories I wanted, I had to become the writer who could write them in a way they deserved. I had to learn that I need to write for the sake of writing, not to show that I have written a book. I had to learn that when done in the right way, writing helps you find yourself and then rewrite your own story.

The act of writing is the important deal; being published and recognised is a happy and inevitable consequence.

Throughout the years, I had moments of defeat a million times, which made me wonder if I should step away from this writing journey.

Should I get a regular and safe job to get a regular and guaranteed monthly income? Should I get married and settle down? When will I have a published book to feel validated enough to call myself a writer? Should I just give up on this dream? Am I really a writer?

I had all these and more thoughts, but then I also had another thought whispering to me.

You have what it takes.

Becoming and being a writer was far more important to me than anything else. So, even though I saw no light at the end of the tunnel, I stuck with it. Thank God, I continued on this path because I learnt that the light I was looking for was already in me.

Once I found that light, writing became as easy and unconscious as breathing. Now, I know that the only guidance I need for my writing is my heart and gut feeling. The years I spent crying over not being able to write have now turned into tears of joy for being able to write and publish my words so effortlessly.

As a writer, you are on a creative journey. You are not on a regular path - the path most of the population is walking on. If you're called to a creative life, remember that your work and success are timeless. Creativity is not bound by the time constraints we humans have created. Therefore, a creative journey will take the time it needs to bloom.

Nothing good comes instantly. It needs time to grow, take root, and finally bear some fruit.

Also, even if you want to, you can't walk away once you're called to a creative journey. If you do, that dream of creating something will keep gnawing at you until you accept it's your calling. It's a part of you. It's who you are and what you're meant to do. Might as well find a way to embrace it.

But how do you do that?

Even though I saw no results, encouragement, or support, how did I continue persistently with my writing journey?

I took the next best small step I knew.

Be it life or a creative endeavour like writing, all you can do is take the next small step. The step you feel is the best and most suitable to take in that moment. It could be about the scene you are writing or the business move you can make to uplift your writing career. All we have is our wisdom, knowledge and intuition to guide the way. We must continually learn and understand the needs of our writing journey and move accordingly.

Ask yourself: What does my writing journey need right now? How can I help my writing journey?

Is it a block of quiet time to write? Is it setting up your author profile and shop on Amazon? Is it figuring out what your protagonist is doing next? Is it taking a break and recharging your creative batteries?

And you don't want to be leap-frogging; you want to take it small and steady. Take measured risks to not hurt yourself or your writer soul. Break down big tasks into small, manageable ones. Big goals into small milestones. And find a pace that you can maintain.

Over time, your effort and words compound and will bring results. My years spent understanding who I am – as a human and as a writer – and then creating from that space has led me to become friends with my writer soul.

Being persistent is how I am making my writing dream come true.

Well, that's it for today. Next time we meet, we'll talk about how deliberately practicing your writing will improve your skills.

Until then, keep writing, my friend.