Arts
Now, that is a really fancy title for a simple yet profound decision. It is a cornerstone of being a writer. Not just writing a book or working a project, but becoming someone who is a writer from the inside out. The willful disregard of rationality is the way in which, as a writer, you look at a project that by all measurements should be impossible for you to complete, and yet… you decide to do it anyway. As writers, we feel this impossibility at the onset of each new project. When you first start writing, the idea of taking a short story or novel seems irrational. There is a mountain of things you don’t know how to do. There is a technique you don’t have. Later, taking on complex plots and dynamic characters, you might feel as if you aren’t smart enough or capable. At each new step, there is a perfectly rational reason why you shouldn’t be able to work on a project. And yet, as writers, we must find a way to willfully disregard the rationality of what we do. We must stop asking, “is it probable,” and instead ask a new, insanely powerful question, “is it possible?” I’ve yet to coach a single person who after a long, heartfelt monologue about the logical reasons of why I will not complete a project are more or less ground to a pulp when I ask, “yes, those are all true, but is it possible?” The two most common responses are a long pause, and I mean sometimes 20-30 seconds of silence. Or, a deep sigh, as if I’ve voiced exactly what the person already knows. Because spoiler, I’m just reminding here of you of what you already know. Here is my own flow of thoughts to pivot from rationality to possibility:1. Is the project that I want to take on possible? Yes.2. Am I capable today of writing it today? No. 3. Am I capable of learning how to become the writer who can write it? Yes.4. Who is the writer who can write it? That’s the answer of who I must become. You’ll find when you leave out the question of whether something makes sense, and instead turn your focus the story you want to tell, the entire world opens up to you. Thank you for listening, and I hope you have a wonderful week of writing. Before we go, I want to share my gratitude for this amazing community. You know, when I launched How Writers Write last year, I had so many questions that I knew I could only answer by actually doing this thing. I had no idea if anyone would listen to this podcast. I had no idea if the message would resonate. I am so honored and floored that I get to do this each week and share what is on my heart with you. So, I just want to say thank you. A lot you I don’t know, but by engaging with HWW, you’ve given my life new purpose, in that I now serve a community I love. Thank you again for listening, and I hope you have a wonderful week of writing.Support the show (http://www.howwriterswrite.com)