Life of E's

How do you talk to yourself as a writer?  How do you talk to others about yourself as a writer?  Are you clear on your boundaries – or is it a little fuzzy, both to yourself and to others?  Take a look at these five ‘talking points’ and use what fits with your style and need.   

1. “That’s my scheduled writing time – let’s find another time (or not).”  While there are times to be flexible, you don’t always have to be the person who flexes and thus flushes out your writing time. You may offer alternatives to the other person and he or she can flex – or not. It depends on what the priorities are for either of you. If someone really doesn’t ‘get it,’ and says, “Oh, pooh. You can write anytime,” ask that person if that’s what he/she has found to be true.

2. “Right now, while my ideas are flowing, I want to capture them, so…” You just let this drift off – or you can end your sentence with a specific request such as, “…I want to capture them, so, I can’t really talk now” or “so, I need to get back to what I was working on,” or “so, I hope you don’t mind that I’m going to put my headphones back on to block out the plane noise,” or any other appropriate ending. You can also say everything you need to say but the expression on your face when you say, “so….”

3. “I’ve got some of my pieces to edit today.” This helps you know that today is not a composing day; it’s an editing day. Since there is a definite difference between composing and editing, clarifying for yourself that today is an editing day helps to get you in the frame of mind necessary.

4. “What are you writing these days?” Just as it’s normal to ask other professionals what they are working on, no matter what their job might be, it is normal to ask other writers what they are writing. Find other writers to talk with about the very normal endeavor of writing.

5. “I learned something today while I was writing that I never knew I knew.” Say it to yourself to reinforce how magical writing is in terms of letting us know what we know – or helping us know something we didn’t know we knew. And, say it to others to validate the power of writing.

Whatever you say about yourself as a writer…reinforces that idea for you.  Take a look at when you can use one or more of the ideas from this article in the next few days.  Then come up with some of your own that give YOU and others the message that you ARE a writer. 

Hey, we’re all in this together, right? If you would like to get inspiration, direction, and structure for your writing, try the self-study program that can be found at 30 Articles in Just 30 Days. You will see what others who have participated in previous events have to say. Check it out!