Starting Out Sucks

Okay, this journey as a creator sucks. I’m sure you know this if you’re a writer or any type of artist. We all need that little sliver of dopamine from a job well done. Just that little edge of feel-good juice from someone acknowledging that our work is good. Most of the time, as an artist or writer, you just don’t get that. 

After all that hardwork you get a cold slap in the face by indiference.

As hard as it may be, you need to push on anyway. Especially if you just started sharing your work. It can feel dark and lonely as you spit out work into the void. I’m here today to share some tips on how to keep going as a writer despite the lack of interest from everyone around you.

• Write For You:

First, let’s forget about other people for the moment. Let’s focus on you. Stop thinking about your imaginary audience. Write the stories that you’d want to read and stop writing about what you think other people want you to write. This will help you in the long run and will make sitting down at your keyboard more enjoyable. The first member of the audience is yourself and if you don’t enjoy reading what your writing then what’s the point? You are the first and most important member of your audience. 

• Practice:

Everything you create is practice. Each time you fill the screen with words you are accomplishing something amazing. Everything you write is another step closer to getting better. You’re leveling up with each word and each sentence you put down. Even if what you write never makes it to someone else’s eyes or if the story you are writing only manages one comment from a spam bot. Anything you write is better than not having written anything at all. 

• Know that Rome Wasn’t Built In a Day:

Yeah, I bet you’ve heard this before. You’re not going to become an amazing blogger with thousands of followers overnight. Also, you’re not going to become a best selling author with your one published book. Everything takes time. What you need is persistence. Don’t give up, remind yourself to keep going and you will start going places you’ve never dreamed of before.

• Stop Making the Same Mistakes:

If what you’re doing isn’t working, try something else. You have to learn from your mistakes. If no one is reading your work, start promoting it. Engage in the writing community. Publish someplace with an active community. Block out some time to research what you need to do next. Just don’t make the same mistakes and start wondering why it isn’t working. Do something about it, please. Don’t sit on your ass.

• Remember Your Goal:

You have a goal. Hell, if you’re sharing your writing anywhere you have some kind of goal in mind. If you didn’t, you’d be keeping notebooks of your writing trapped under your bed. So, keep that goal in mind and don’t lose track of it. Handwrite it and stick it above your desk, on your fridge, or tape it on your bathroom mirror. This goal is the reason why you continue. It doesn’t matter if the goal is to finish your book or to get more followers on your blog. If you are persistent, you can get there.

 If you aren’t willing to push through the long draughts of zero feedback and the impending doom of self-doubt, you will never reach your writing goals. Just breath and start one step at a time. The journey sucks but it’s all part of your writing journey. Don’t give up. Keep your goals in mind and don’t stop writing.

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