You Are Your Own Writer

Dear Writer,

This is a hard hobby isn't it? The range of knowledge and age is vaster than most other hobbies, possibly all. At least, I can't think of another one.

And with age and experience and knowledge, its inevitable that someone is going to be a better writer than us.

I got a dose of this first hand when I entered a writing contest a couple months back. Outwardly, I told my friends that "I probably won't win", but inwardly I fantasized with the judges calling me, exclaiming "This book is too good to not be published!"

But I didn't win.

I didn't come in the top ten.

After that, it was hard to not compare myself to the others. They started writing their first novels at twelve. I wrote ten horrible misspelled pages at twelve. They were on track to be published by fifteen. I hadn't finished my first novel at fifteen.

It's hard to compare ourselves to others, but writer, we can't compare ourselves to others because we aren't others.

We are us.

You are your own writer, Writer. You have your own time lines and milestones. You have your own life story.

God doesn't make mistakes Writer, God's timing is perfect. So maybe I didn't get published when I was fifteen. So. What? God's got a plan for me that is so much better than anything I could dream up.

But, sometimes it's hard to remember that isn't it? Like when a friend can't stand your MC or you have the worst case of writers block this century. (Not that either of those have happened to me...)

It's hard being a writer, Writer. I'm not going to lie, books can only teach you so much in this profession. It's hard, and daunting, and sometimes virtually miserable.

But it's so so rewarding.

Writer, writing is a part of you, you are your own writer. You are not JK. Rowling, you are not Judy Blume, you are not Timothy Shoemaker. (Code of Silence books anyone?)

As much as these people inspire us or as much as we want to be like these people. We cannot look at their time lines and milestones and be discouraged. Because, they are not us. 

Writer, comparing ourselves is something we do all the time, but it needs to stop. Your story can't come from Joan Bauer, Writer. It has to come from you. And I think that's pretty cool.

Don't give up Writer. God's got great plans for you.

-Libby

"I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:14