A Writer's Mentality · 7:43pm Nov 20th, 2019
I'm not going to lie and say these past few days haven't been rough. Maybe even a month. I'd be willing to call it at a year so long as we can make it plural. It's my general state of mind to be tortured at itself despite its condition. Absurdity has gripped me tightly ever since high school.
But despite this, I think, one must persist through it. That it's the only option afforded to one. None care for long about those who sulk for themselves. Self-pity is not a treasured art. Take the time to lick your wounds, dust yourself off—but you must be prepared to bear action once more.
It's okay to lose yourself every now again, for periods at a time, but never longer than that. Getting lost in the problem seeks that nothing is resolved, prolonging the pain brought from it. Rather, after suffering enough, it's time to tackle the problem and begin forth.
Even if it's only a step.
Today's blog will be that of rambles if only the cluster-fuck of my mind hasn't been very kind as of late. I tried firing the man in charge, but sadly, he never showed up. So for now, we will be talking about one's mentality when it comes to writing.
I used to be a part of a gang of writers that all have gone their separate ways. Editors and critics and creators and complainers. Those who thought highly of themselves and those who thought nothing at all. We all proclaim to be something—but then act like something else.
I think a writer is someone who writes, no matter what, continuing to do so, and that is that. To fulfill the definition of being a writer rather than having been a writer, the single action between them, of course, is writing.
I've met people who have gone to school for the craft, who have talked incessantly about the art, able to explain act structure and grammatical rules. Those who say they write in a particular way or aspire to acquire the style of someone famous or dead.
There's a big issue as a whole in this regard with people being too fed on the idea of being something, coming to stake their egos upon it—but never actually doing the work. People who say they've gone to school for writing, as if it raises their status, acting as if they are more, only to lose themselves to games.
To stop talking so vague.
If you are going to be a writer then the first thing I suggest is forgetting that the word even exists. The more of an identity you claim yourself to have, the more your ego then has to prove. There are bursts of joy in pretending and feeling like something more. But bursts, as always, are nothing compared to consistency.
When you say you're a certain kind of writer, or that you're going for a particular style, you then lock yourself into something. You're setting up the conditions for future cognitive dissonance. If you do not excel at what you proclaim then you are less likely to try.
What you should do, instead, is simply write. If you genuinely want to become better at the craft, then hold no claims and simply go on, being open as you can, identifying as little as possible. The less you claim to be, the more you can become.
Upon becoming a writer, you may go about it either way you can, but try to bear a good mentality about it. One must write, and keep writing, that we know. But the second is to lay no claim of your ego upon the works.
Always strive to become better. This means that if you show someone your works and they criticize it that you are thankful for it. That you go through those notes without any stake in your words, deciding what makes for better writing.
It sounds a bit too simple, and for those without stakes, it is. When your goal of writing is for it to elevate yourself, that some of your identity relies on the apparent quality of your words—then, of course, it's going to hurt when they're hacked away.
But if you're someone who is more concerned about what makes for better writing, then that becomes the goal in your mind. Seeing things removed or changed won't hurt in the slightest because it has no reason to. Your only goal is to write better, to make the best possible content that you can, so you lay no claim on what then becomes produced.
Don't think this suddenly cuts the heart or soul out of the equation. Even when you forgo yourself, you'll still appear in the words in subtle ways. By not writing about yourself, you'll end up doing so, at least in more abstract ways.
In short.
If you are going to be a writer, focus more on writing and not laying any claim on being a certain kind of writer or doing anything a particular way. Focus only on improving in the craft and that is that. Those who claim to be something more tend to have nothing beneath. While those who silently go on tend to possess more than you can ever know.
Don't claim to be a writer if you write only in bursts, if you critic more than you create, that in tearing down other works somehow floats you with a sense of superiority. And don't think of your words as holy. They will be expressive of you, but they are not you.
Feelings and thoughts are not always correct, but in most cases, they are born from genuineness. Strive only to write and to get better, and then act to the best of those desires. It won't always work. But remember. Creating better content matters more than elevating yourself.
F'naaaaaa
This is a strange one. Sorry boys. My head hasn't quite been on straight this last little while. Drinking Monsters incessantly was enough to keep some mental acuity, but now, even four a day does nothing to keep the staleness of my brain at bay.
I live a better life then maybe these words imply. But things have been rather rough in terms of expressing myself and being perfectly understood. It's... funny. Years ago I stumbled upon a song. 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' by The Animals.
Something about that line always stuck with me, even though I couldn't explain it, but now understand it more than I could ever wish to know. Life is truly a strange affair. Or perhaps I'm the only strange one here.
Be well and do well, lads.
~ Yr. Pal, B
This is a sentiment I'm glad to see someone expressing. I think over the years, I'm come to understand that the writers I respect the most are the ones who can do a range of genres quite well--obviously there's still something to be said for someone who can work wonders with one particular genre, style, etc., but it's such a bigger challenge to excel in multiple fields that I think it's something everyone should strive for when they feel their skills starting to plateau.
5158171
Aye aye.