If there’s one thing a writer shouldn’t miss is this: the why in the art of writing. It just dawned on me tonight that there are good, better, and great writers out there, even bad and worse ones, and the chasm separating great ones such as these literary figures from Faulkner to Hemingway, Nabokov to King and Blake, is the power of why.
These writers know their art, and they did a great job of establishing it through their works.
Just this night, I read a Facebook status that stirred me to take another step in my writing life.
Purpose is what you feed your passion.
Let me tell you a secret: I hate rejections.
Probably I’m not the only one, isn’t it?
Quite frankly, I’m afraid to submit resumes or pitch to high-caliber tech blogs to avoid rejections and discouragements. That kind of feeling when after preparing the “bestest best of cover letter,” resume, and samples of writing and not receiving a call or reply makes me wonder, “Am I not good enough?”
I’ve experienced it many times. The dream of becoming a published writer to highly traffic sites and author of the next New York’s best selling book is a long forgotten reverie, but the desire has always been there. Yet, I’d rather let such desire die than face the tragic reality of being rejected. Maybe it could sleep in just a little while because the writer inside me is afraid to test the waters, to go out of boat and walk on waters. To avoid these, denying myself to such desire is the best option, to forget about it in the long run. Yet, a flickering hope is there.
Have you ever felt the same way?
I know it’s not yet too late. In my case, I took action without delay because I was reminded of my purpose. My WHY is this: My Mom and Dad. I do this for them.
A writer’s purpose is a powerful force that can change lives. I don’t know what’s yours. It could be that you want to get famous, be rich, and travel the world. If this is your why, you might get frustrated with its shallowness, as I would agree with what C.S Lewis said,
We are far too easily pleased.
Your WHY is the antidote to your daily dose of criticisms, weekly digest of rejections, and discouragements. It should be bigger than yourself and the world.
Your why will keep you writing more and living the life you were meant to live. To live with a purpose, use the talents you were entrusted and relish the life full of tragedies, comedies, and fairy tales at their best, yet written by you. Frederich Nietzsche said,
To forget one’s purpose is the commonest form of stupidity.
Don’t forget why you write. It’s the only thing you’ve got when the going gets tough.
Why do you write? Feel free to share it on comments’ section.
Photo credit: Creative Commons license/Mr. Stabile
