Writer's Block
Last week, I met a woman who has written many short stories, (one published), a number of children's stories, and a novel. The novel has been sent to many publishers with no positive results. She is convinced it is good writing and a great story. This isn't just her opinion, some people who have read it have told her so.
I was beginning to think that it is the writing that is the thing, the process that is important, the balance, the healing, the working through things that really matters. I read "Bird By Bird", a book on writing, and the author says all this, more eloquently and humourously. She says that it doesn't matter how often she tells the writers in her workshops and courses that being published is a sidebar and if you want to write, just write. This is still the number one question, "How do I go about getting published?" What is it about being published that's so important? I guess it's a form of validation. Deep down, I think I believe that no matter how much I write, unless something of mine is published, I'm not a writer.
This is all an aside. I say I want to write and I do but I don't write. This woman has written and I'm jealous. What an accomplishment. How many people can say they've done that much. I'm tired of writing about writing and the lack of it in my life.
I was beginning to think that it is the writing that is the thing, the process that is important, the balance, the healing, the working through things that really matters. I read "Bird By Bird", a book on writing, and the author says all this, more eloquently and humourously. She says that it doesn't matter how often she tells the writers in her workshops and courses that being published is a sidebar and if you want to write, just write. This is still the number one question, "How do I go about getting published?" What is it about being published that's so important? I guess it's a form of validation. Deep down, I think I believe that no matter how much I write, unless something of mine is published, I'm not a writer.
This is all an aside. I say I want to write and I do but I don't write. This woman has written and I'm jealous. What an accomplishment. How many people can say they've done that much. I'm tired of writing about writing and the lack of it in my life.
posted by Mo at 3:55 PM
2 Comments:
Hmmm. I'm feeling a desire to co-create a new writing support group something like the one I had for several years with a few women I met in writing workshops.
Maybe this time an on line group with a kindred spirit or two who, like me, craves some structure on which to move her writing forward and get it off to the marketplace.
Email me if the idea appeals to you, k?
Well, that's exactly how I feel when I hear about people writing, and I'm not....jealous!
I certainly feel that those people who have the self-confidence to create have something I don't, as of yet....am planning of being more proactive though and put writing in my schedule instead of waiting for the perfect occasion to continue the story I started months ago...
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