Crazy things began to happen. Crazy good things.
What happened to writing?
In a weird way, writing has changed. Online writing has changed. Maybe people have changed? I’m still trying to piece together my thoughts on what became of writing in the last 10ish years.
For starters, everyone started writing online. Everyone who’s joined the creator economy has started expressing themselves- that’s the good news. The bad news is that it feels like every writer is trying to copy the style of other writers.
The writer’s voice feels lost. The uniqueness of a writer is shy and afraid. It’s hard to admit, but I was that writer five years ago. I was trying to be like the top writers and creators: write frameworks and bullets and be cool-like.
But it ruined my writing. Until I realized that I could rewrite the writing handbook.
You Can Rewrite the Rules of Writing
I don’t know if you know this, but you can rewrite the rules of writing.
You can even create your own rules. Craziness, huh? Nope. It’s actually the truth. All the English comma, punctuation, and fancy classy sentence structure you learned in English class is one way of writing.
It’s also not the only way.
You hold the power as a writer. You have the ability to hook readers with your stories. Craft sentences that are broken and incomplete. You just haven’t learned how.
You can write the rules of writing. Change them. Splotch them together.
Nobody needs to tell you what to write. There’s no handbook on how to write the perfect essay or story. Sure, there’s structure. There are generally followed guidelines. There are ways to make things more coherent.
You can follow all of that till your eyes turn blue. You also have to remember that there are a million ways to write a story.
You have to explore those ways. Practice writing. Practice some more.
Because the more you do it, the more you realize how much power you hold as a writer.
Let’s Stop Gawking Over Other Writers
I fell into this trap of gawking over other writers.
I was doing it so much that it messed up my writing.
I fell into the trap of wanting to be like those top creators who publish consistently. They are so cool with their bullet pointed bowties. They write like they wear a tux.
That’s them. So many creators have one goal — to grow an audience as fast as possible. And they will do it through any means possible. They will plow through every framework written in the last 503 years.
Is that your goal as a writer?
Sure, followers are cool. What’s cooler is finding your voice and not losing it to the academy of arrogant and dry writing.
You don’t have to lose your voice or do the exact same thing as other writers or creators.
It took me forever to stop gawking over other writers. It took me forever to realize that I don’t have to write in a way that feels confined.
Internalize Your Acceptance As a Writer. Now Do It Again
Have you accepted the idea that you’re a writer? Have you accepted that you’re a good enough writer?
Your most loyal fans have already accepted it and they haven’t even seen your writing. They want to see it. Read it. Imagine it. Believe it. And meet you.
Your most loyal fans are waiting for the future. They are waiting for your next piece of writing as if it’s a batch of new chocolate cookies. They are waiting for you like a fan is waiting to meet Lebron James or Caitlin Clark.
You create that future the moment you internalize your acceptance as a writer.
Wake up every day with that acceptance. Believe in yourself. Writing is not about smarts. You don’t need a degree.
Writing is about showing up every day and telling a story. It’s about getting better every day. It’s about recording that history so your kids and grandkids can read what you wrote.
You’re not just internalizing your acceptance as a writer, you’re internalizing your future.
Run With Your Ambition
Whiplash is my favorite movie (yes, it’s a bit harsh).
The ambitious drummer, Andrew, is always trying to prove himself to Fletcher, the band instructor. Towards the end of the movie, Andrew gives an incredible solo performance because he’s so committed to being great.
It’s a movie that deconstructs the meaning of ambition.
I love that movie because I love ambition. I love that anyone can be great at something if they are dedicated.
The amazing thing about writing is that you don’t have to be amazing at writing to be a writer. You have to get started. You have to be committed to the process.
You have to find your ambition. Find the topics you love writing, the sentences you love crafting, the words you love choosing, and the stories you love sharing.
Find it. Let it energize you. Capture it. And never let it escape.
That’s when you will rewrite the rules of writing.