Dear Writer

Dear Writer,

You’ve chosen to do something that’s both exciting and frustrating, that will bring you joy and some pain. You will have confidence in yourself, and you will doubt yourself more often than ever before. You can love what you do and can hate it on occasion, but the one thing you can never do is quit it.

People everywhere will have advice to give you. You can shop for books on writing, listen to podcasts and YouTube channels, and you can attend workshops. But no one’s advice is law, and you will have to learn on your own what works for you. Read all the books you want to, practice what others recommend, and make adjustments how you see fit.

Don’t let anyone make you feel guilty about your process, your routine, or maybe your lack of it. Work the way that you want to work.

On the days you want to turn your back on what you’re writing, where you feel like a failure, it’s okay if you decide you need space. It’s also okay if you recover best by forcing the words from yourself until they come easier. Neither is right nor wrong.

The important part of a break is that it isn’t a break that lasts forever.

Use novels and movies and plays as inspiration, not comparison. Others’ works should encourage and motivate you, not drag you down as you try to compete with every best seller out there. The best sellers might be popular, but you have your own voice and story, and you shouldn’t smother it with the fear that you’ll never be as good as the rest.

Have people you can talk to when things are good or bad. Have people who support you. Have a few writer friends that can understand what you’re going through and can offer help.

Recognize that there is no waste when it comes to your work. If you need to scrap something, it’s okay. You can recycle it later. If you’re scribbling all the time in a notebook that will never see the light of day, and the stuff inside is utter nonsense to most except you, keep doing it. Not everything you write needs to be for a reader. Some things can be just for you, and the way you practice with writing is to just write, no matter what it is that you’re writing.

Write bad stuff, write good stuff, write extraordinary stuff! And have fun with this! Writing is work, but it’s also play. Don’t forget to enjoy what you do.

You’re going to be amazing.

Sincerely,

Ashton