Thursday, May 7, 2009

How to unshackle your writing muse?

How to unshackle your writing muse?

I felt very strange today. I struggled to write, and everything I write seems meaningless, when I view them through other’s prism. Suddenly…I felt, am I talking sense, does it appeal to the reader or not…kind of doubts haunting me. I felt lost… and was seething in frustration.

Where did the confidence go and, where is my most trusted voice? How do I become so vulnerable now than ever?

I guess these doubts sure hover in the minds of every newbie blogger, like me. I just want to share my thoughts here.

Write for yourself

Writing for ourselves makes us clearer in our thoughts than writing for an audience, especially in blogging. When you write for others, and when it won’t attract any readers, it would make us sulk about our talent. You’ll imagine the audience critiquing every word you write, and you’ll end up rewriting the stuff over and over and, at last it ends in the trash bin. I understood a fact: Just write as if none is there to read except you.

I think this is what all the famous authors like Zen Habits, Men with Pens or the recent hot Collective Ink are all doing. They are so comfortable in their skin and write so beautiful posts that are close to their hearts; without giving too much of a thought to the world outside. I think that’s the secret of their confident, uncensored and yet very endearing voice.

Lesson learnt: Write from your gut. Write something that pricks you, frustrate, depress, excites and affects you. It sure has a way to other’s hearts. No matter it is on topic or off it.

Write thinking as if none dealt it before

Yeah, the thought that there are thousands of blogs and thousands of posts each day, which could’ve dealt and churned the same topic earlier and many, many times over, choke you. This thought really makes you nervous and frustrated. It makes you stifle your idea - And makes you think that you can’t say anything different… and better be quiet.

I believe each of our journeys is different from one another. And naturally, our experiences too. Writing springs out from your experiences; if it should be natural and gripping we shouldn’t overly restrain the natural flow of it, with the thought of the elusive audience. So I feel with each of our sharing, we can learn and benefit. So go ahead pound your keyboard hard, without giving a hoot of how many times the topic has been discussed, or what it’s all about.

Lesson learnt: say it with no malice to anyone. Say it your way and it’ll sure add another shade to the spectrum of life.

It shouldn’t matter if you’re read or not.

How does it for that matter? If it’s you, your life and, your writing?  It needn’t be authenticated or appreciated by anyone. It should adhere to a certain moral code which should be accepted by your conscience, though. As long as that fits into your conscience’ frame you’re on your own.

Ever since I started blogging, one thought bugged me like a mosquito (I hate them a lot). Will I be read? Will I be accepted? If we seek to be accepted that’ll elude you and me. The life we are leading is for us and we lead according to our terms and conditions. And why should my writing should be anything different from it? I have no qualms if I’m accepted or not.. No amount of criticism or acidic critique should curtail me or you for that matter, as we are living our life in our unique ways and writing the same way, too.

Stop comparing with others

You’ve just started off writing in your blog. It’s quite natural that you don’t find any reader, and there is no hope finding hordes of them, either. It’s a fact that every big or not so big blogs attract hordes of readers, while yours haven’t’ seen any in the recent times. It’s natural you think like me… that your voice is not so unique, your content lacks the punch or bite.

It’s not that way anymore. It’s just that you’ve started late and your wealth of technological knw-how may be inadequate and lack the wherewithal of marketing your blog. And maybe… your content lacks the killer punch like the pros… that shouldn’t deter you to write as you’re learning on the job. Your writing needn’t be compared to someone else who has been in the blogging arena for quite a while…some years.

It shouldn’t matter, hence, if you’ve visits or not. It’s you and your writing on a daily basis. If someone shows up thank the reader for the visit, and move on.

It’s you and, YOU alone

Writing is a different ball game unlike other activities. Everyone can’t become so good in it overnight. At least this is my experience. You’re cruel to yourself if you compare it with others. Many young writers fall in this trap. Let’s be honest and kind to ourselves. Don’t take yourself too serious.

Writing comes from one’s experiences and it flows through the ebbs of life. Life is determined by the conditions and circumstances we are placed in. Hence our lives are different from each other. So do our writing.

Our knowledge or understanding may be inadequate to look at life in a matured way. Fine, that shouldn’t make us small. Everyone has a right to an opinion and everyone has a reason to it.

So take out the fear of the audience and the fear of failure, and go ahead and write your story of life. Sure it would be a learning experience for someone, if you do it from your heart.

This post becomes more interesting with your experiences. Feel free to write if felt anytime like that - that you don't have anything to say worthwhile-- and how you managed it!

 

 

 

8 comments:

janice said...

You are so right. We must always write for ourselves and from the heart first. Blogging can destroy the soul if we fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others, but we should never let it interfere with our love of writing. By striving to constantly improve our writing, our authenticity and our lives, we improve our lives and have more to offer our readers.

Solomon said...

Hi Janice,
Thanks for your visit! I'm thinking of ways to let our writing be more free and natural.
I felt this way anyone can tell their stories better.
BTW, the post for MOTHERS DAY's is a worthy tribute to our mothers, in your blog.
You really have a unique and very heartful and soulful voice that is very rare.
Keep up the great work!

Randi said...

I especially like what you said about continuing to write, even if it seems that others have already said the same thing. Too often I will think of a subject, then see it on another blog and decide not to write on that topic after all. I need to stop worrying that someone else already "said it all" because different blogs have different readers. Good thoughts, Solomon.

Solomon said...

Hi Randi,
Thanks for your visit, and the comment!
I know even if we're experienced writers, it occurs to us that the topic has been discussed. Here, what matters is not the topic, but our view, our perspective. Each view is important, however small.
By the way, your post on 'Being Thrifty without being a scrooge ...' is thought-provoking.
Thanks, do drop in again!

Jeff said...

That's all I've been doing, writing for myself. Writing for myself or taking notes and posting them on the web. Great post it's so true everything on the internet has been done, done to death but if we put our own spin on it people may like what where writing. You hit home on so many areas, I'm very new at blogging I recently found some great bloggers that made me question what I was doing as far as my writings. Your thoughts on writing for myself has helped me to think about how the process works, thank you. I've started multiple websites http://www.CodeResearchCenter.com and http://www.ScamResearchCenter.com both of which are different interest areas. Website development requires a special touch to get followers and is very difficult my thoughts after reading your are keep writing just add my own touch, posting helps me keep going on with website developers.

Website developers are a dime a dozen.

Not to mention places like Elance (get a new website look for very cheap) that make it so I can't sell my services over the internet. That was one angle I was going to attempt with my http://www.CodeResearchCenter.com website. http://www.ScamResearchCenter.com is my hope to help people navigate the make money online scams, other scams as well but my focus is on how to make money online.

Thanks again I’ll keep going.

Solomon said...

Hi Jeff,
Thanks for your visit!
I'm happy this post helped you see some light. I felt so many of us newbies are so confused what to write and so overwhelmed at the sheer pace and size of the internet.
It'all boils down to our individual self.
Then only we can be writers with flair.
I've so much to learn too and am learning on the way!
Hope you'll stop by often, and thanks once again!

Vivienne Quek said...

When you are comfortable with yourself, you will write with confidence and conviction. Don't bother what people thinks... What is important is it must comes from the HEART.

Solomon said...

Hi Vivienne,

Thanks for the visit!
Yeah, what you said is absolutely true: we need to talk from the heart.

Thank you so much!