What If Your Dream Of Becoming A Writer Doesn’t Work Out? - What If It Does?
You must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul.
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You must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul.
- Chef Gusteau, Ratatouille
I'll be honest with you. Being a writer, living in a non-writer environment takes work.
Most of the people you have around you have the usual lives with traditional jobs. You, on the other hand, are in a creative job, and such jobs tend to work on years of dedication without any guaranteed monthly result in return. You are then bound to feel like everyone's going ahead of you in life and work while you are stuck wondering if writing this book that won't leave you alone is worth the effort.
Take it from me—it is worth the trouble, even if it doesn't feel at the moment.
The other night, I was reminiscing with my mother about who I was in 2014 and who I am in 2024.
I went from being depressed with suicidal thoughts to hoping to become immortal because I had too many books to read and too many books to write.
The girl I was in 2014 saw no hope in life. At the age of 19, she thought there was nothing more to life other than the misery she was feeling. All she had to do now in life was to wait for it to end.
The woman I am now in 2024 has dreams and aspirations beyond her current capacity. Now 29, she is looking forward to turning 30 in a few months' time because that's when real life starts for her. She is looking forward to the books she'll read, books she'll write, dogs she'll pet, coffees she'll drink, places she'll visit, laughs she'll share, and lives she'll touch.
This change happened all because she found one dream to hold on to as if it were a life-or-death situation: the dream of becoming an author.
I may not have any society-approved milestones to prove that all the trouble I went through in the last ten years was worth it. But the human I have evolved into... I would never trade her for anything else.
Neither can I explain it, but I know deep in my heart that it's all worth it. I wouldn't have been put through so much trouble by the gods only to go through it. I now understand my past was valuable, my present beautiful, and my future fruitful. I already have some plans for it, and then there’s open space for Universe to surprise me as well. But I know it is going to happen. It already is.
This line of thought and belief may look like a delusion to others, but it is actually faith.
It is effortless to find reasons as to why our dream of being a writer won't work out. It takes courage to think the opposite. It takes faith.
Faith asks you to believe in something you can't see but know is there. That's why it is important to have faith in yourself and your writing dreams. You may not know or have it yet, but you know it's there, and you will eventually find it.
You have to believe - in yourself and your writing dreams. That belief leads you to actions that will help you get closer to achieving your dreams.
Why Should You Believe In Your Writing Dreams?
Because if you don't, who will? This is your first line of defence. If you don't believe in your writing dreams... if you don't work hard to become the writer your words deserve... if you don't do your best to inch closer to achieving it... then who will? No one is going to make your writing dream come true. You have to do it yourself.
Living the life you know you'll love. About an hour ago, I was cranky. (And before someone says it - No. It's not my periods.😑) I don't know why or what triggered it, but I was (mentally) snapping at everything and everyone. I was clearly in no mood to write but I have a deadline to maintain. So I put on my favourite songs and started typing. One hour later, I am bobbing to the beats and having a fun time writing this essay. My crankiness has gone poof! Writing your book, poem, essay, song, whatever it is, makes your life better. So why not do more of it?
Giving physical form to your ideas. Humans are the happiest when they are creating something. There is an innate satisfaction, and a sense of contribution to using your hands, your heart and your mind to bring something into being that wasn't there in the first place. We writers use words to bring forth thoughts, characters unexplainable emotions into physical, tangible form. Think of the book you have read and held close to your heart. Now, imagine your book doing the same for someone else. Isn't that feeling, both giving and receiving, worth believing in and giving our best to our writing dreams?
Building a legacy and making a difference. Over the past few years, I have been reading and enjoying so many books that were written over 100 years ago (one is 444 years old!) that I had to create a separate Goodreads list called "Grandpa Books." While you are stressing yourself out about whether your current readers will like your work, there are readers out there who have yet to be born whose lives and careers you save. Agatha Christie, James Allen, and Dorothea Brande didn't know about me when they wrote their books, and yet they are helping me evolve my life into something better every single day. Similarly, there is someone out there, now and years later, who needs your words. Write for them.
How To Believe In Your Writing Dreams?
Focus on your passion. Avoid writing what others are writing or what's trending. Write about topics that ignite your passion. Your enthusiasm for your subject matter will translate into compelling writing. This will act as a sign to the readers that you know and believe in what you're writing and also strengthen your belief in your capabilities.
Keep a writing journal. Document your progress, thoughts, and ideas in a writing journal. Reflecting on your journey can provide evidence of your growth and reinforce your belief in your abilities. Plus, it could act as an excellent guide for readers when we are dead and gone. (Legacy here again.)
Surround yourself with success. We writers have enough examples of why a career in writing will be a failure. The sad fact is failures and bad news make great eyeball-grabbing content. This is why it is crucial to consciously surround yourself with writers who succeeded in your writing endeavours. Read and learn from the success stories of established authors who faced challenges but persisted. Their journeys can inspire and reinforce your belief in your potential. Use that to visualise your success - imagine yourself achieving your writing goals and visualise the positive impact your work can have. And when you do attain some success, small or big, acknowledge and celebrate it. Doing this will reinforce to yourself that you are indeed a writer.
Continue learning. Invest time in reading books, watching videos and documentaries and getting real-life experiences that will help you evolve as a human and a writer. It doesn't just need to be writing-focused - follow your curiosity here. Directly or indirectly, everything will contribute to your writing.
Take breaks to recharge your creative batteries. When you are feeling low—mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually—it becomes very easy for your ego to trick you into thinking that you are no good as a writer and that whatever you write needs to be thrown away. You don't want burnout or your foul mood to make you think like that. Take a break before you go down the path of self-loathing and break your writer's heart.
Be open to pivoting. Change is inevitable - in life, in career, and in writing as well. This is a fact of life, therefore there is no fighting this. What we do have in control is how we react. You can either stay vigilant and make the shifts you'd prefer, or you will be forced to accept whatever change is being dropped on you. Keep your eyes open on what's working or not working in your writing journey and what shift it needs. Also, keep an eye out for what could help you and make your writing journey even more enjoyable.
Remind yourself why you write. Your WHY is very important. Reflecting on the reasons why you started writing in the first place will realign you with your initial passion and purpose. Anytime you get lost in your writing journey, think about your WHY, and it'll help you stay the course.
My book for writers, Soul Writer vs. Social Writer, is out now!