I’m NOT, Therefore I Am

So, earlier this year, I read a post by C. Hope Clark of FundsForWriters fame. She wrote an article called The Year of Not (great post, Hope!). In it, she talked about all the things she was hearing writers say about what they were NOT going to do this year.

She said many writers feel overwhelmed; spread too thin; stalled in their writing lives. Why? Because they are involved in too many things. They join multiple critique groups, they sign up for too many webinars, they join public and private Facebook groups and they try to read every single book on “how to write well.” The problem is, they do so much that they don’t have time to sit down and write.

What’s the answer for this dilemma? The answer is, just stop! I don’t mean stop everything, because that would be foolish. You’re a writer and you have to do what you can to hone your skills. What I mean is that you must stop submerging yourself so deeply in the activities you think will make you a better writer that you don’t leave time to actually write. Because that’s the only true way you’re going to get better at the craft of writing. You must write to get better.

So this year, say to yourself: I’m NOT. I’m NOT going to get over-involved in satellite writing activities. I’m NOT going to join so many critique groups that I have no time to work on my own stuff. I’m NOT going to keep allowing other things to push writing to the bottom of my to-do list.

How do I feel about the philosophy of NOT? I’m NOT, that’s how I feel.

I’m NOT, therefore I AM…going to write more this year. 🙂

Best wishes and happy writing,
Rita Lorraine