From a young age, I would be willing to bet that many of you were under the impression that to be a great writer or other creative type was a matter of luck - you're either born to be a gifted scribe or you're not. The older (and hopefully) wiser I become, I find this notion to be both false and a bit insulting.
I spent many years fighting the urge to choose writing as a profession because every single thing that I wrote wasn't a divine masterpiece. Seeing English papers that looked like they had been stabbed to death made me feel stifled and defeated. Especially when I chose to flex my creative muscles and write in a nontraditional manner. I couldn't understand why being creative was a bad thing.
I've recently started working with an amazing organization called A Novel Idea (ANI). This summer I am assisting with a novel writing camp that has kids ages 9-16 working on their first (and even second) novels. It's an amazing feeling to see someone so young accomplishing such a major task - a task that most adults are too terrified to ever attempt. Watching these young, fresh creatives powering through word after word is incredibly inspiring - pushing me forward in my own writing.
After camp wraps up, I will be setting out as a Wordy Instructor for ANI's Pen & Paper Club. This marvelous after school (or before school) program is offered to wordy bird kids throughout participating public and private schools in the Nashville area. I will be teaching these kiddos how to write things like haikus, odes, prose, and short stories - all with a dose of passion and no judgement. Writing feeds the soul and this program gives them the tools they need to express themselves through the written word without facing the dreaded red ink staring back at them and potentially stifling their creativity. It inspires them to write from the heart and without fear - because the more they write, the more they WILL become a better in their writing.
Just like an athlete or musician must practice, so must a writer. We aren't all born with "the gift" but we are born with the ability to work hard at something we love. It took me until my late 20s to muster up the courage to finally try my hand at writing as a career - and every day that I meld words together makes me feel more alive. Every writer that I admire has the same important golden nugget of advice - you must practice your craft EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Hard work and diligence - THAT is the key to being a good writer (or anything for that matter). Life doesn't generally just hand you what you want without putting forth the effort. I now try to write every single day in some capacity. Some days it is absolute rubbish - and that's okay. Failure and rejection go hand in hand with any successful journey. That is where you often learn and grow the most.
I wish that A Novel Idea existed when I was a teenager. Maybe it wouldn't have taken me almost 30 years to let go of the fear and put in the hard work to be a writer.
Better late than never.
Peace, Love, + Scribe,
Bekah
I spent many years fighting the urge to choose writing as a profession because every single thing that I wrote wasn't a divine masterpiece. Seeing English papers that looked like they had been stabbed to death made me feel stifled and defeated. Especially when I chose to flex my creative muscles and write in a nontraditional manner. I couldn't understand why being creative was a bad thing.
I've recently started working with an amazing organization called A Novel Idea (ANI). This summer I am assisting with a novel writing camp that has kids ages 9-16 working on their first (and even second) novels. It's an amazing feeling to see someone so young accomplishing such a major task - a task that most adults are too terrified to ever attempt. Watching these young, fresh creatives powering through word after word is incredibly inspiring - pushing me forward in my own writing.
After camp wraps up, I will be setting out as a Wordy Instructor for ANI's Pen & Paper Club. This marvelous after school (or before school) program is offered to wordy bird kids throughout participating public and private schools in the Nashville area. I will be teaching these kiddos how to write things like haikus, odes, prose, and short stories - all with a dose of passion and no judgement. Writing feeds the soul and this program gives them the tools they need to express themselves through the written word without facing the dreaded red ink staring back at them and potentially stifling their creativity. It inspires them to write from the heart and without fear - because the more they write, the more they WILL become a better in their writing.
Just like an athlete or musician must practice, so must a writer. We aren't all born with "the gift" but we are born with the ability to work hard at something we love. It took me until my late 20s to muster up the courage to finally try my hand at writing as a career - and every day that I meld words together makes me feel more alive. Every writer that I admire has the same important golden nugget of advice - you must practice your craft EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Hard work and diligence - THAT is the key to being a good writer (or anything for that matter). Life doesn't generally just hand you what you want without putting forth the effort. I now try to write every single day in some capacity. Some days it is absolute rubbish - and that's okay. Failure and rejection go hand in hand with any successful journey. That is where you often learn and grow the most.
I wish that A Novel Idea existed when I was a teenager. Maybe it wouldn't have taken me almost 30 years to let go of the fear and put in the hard work to be a writer.
Better late than never.
Peace, Love, + Scribe,
Bekah
I am super intrigued by this whole thing and would LOVE To get involved somehow. Would love to have coffee soon!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! Text or FB me when you're available next week and we will coffee chat it up.
Delete