It can be challenging to create a fulfilling writing life. Especially if you’re reading this and you have a full-time job, a bustling family life, and an already-packed schedule, you know what I mean. There are likely some days it’s difficult to make writing a priority, no matter how passionate you are.
In speaking with many writers who don’t or can’t make writing their full-time pursuit, I’ve found that the most overwhelming thing is struggling to find direction. Among everything else on your to-do list, it’s challenging to carve out time to write, much less form a concrete plan about your writing goals that keeps you moving and makes you feel like you’re progressing. Often, we get caught up in trying to just sit down and crank something out that we don’t stop to consider what our ideal picture of a writing life looks like, and the steps we need to get there.
This post is for writers who still think of themselves as “aspiring writers.” It’s a term I encourage those new to the writing life to step out of. Just the act of committing to writing and striving to improve your craft via regular practice makes you a writer — that’s that. It helps to have an idea of a plan. Consider this post your emotional blueprint for forging a writing life that feels most gratifying to you. Having these things in mind can help fuel your writing life long term.
3 Stepping Stones for Building Your Writing Life:
1. Creating a vision for where you want to be.
It is a great step to declare yourself a “writer.” But, in order to grow, it helps to have a picture of the writing life you want to sculpt for yourself. You need a larger, bolder portrait that you can visualize. In doing this, it helps to start thinking about specifics.
Do you want a life where most of your life is dedicated to your writing goals? How many days a week would that be? Or, what kind of routine would that be? Do you want to supplement your creativity with regular writers meetups, or networking opportunities that help you feel supported? Do you want to publish a book in particular? And, do you want to be able to make money from your writing, or simply harness it as a creative outlet?
Try this:
Map out a vision. Try making a mind map, with the word “Ideal writing life” in the middle and branches jutting forth from it forming different categories, such as “X amount of hours a week writing” or “An established author website and blog.” You can branch out into more specifics about each category from there, such as “X blog posts a month.”
Try this:
Some people also enjoy creating a vision board. Grab a stack of magazines, cut out images that speak to you, and paste together a collage evoking the ideal writing life. Pay attention to the emotional experience of certain images. Does this indicate you want your writing life to be a tranquil refuge? Something you feel utterly confident in? Or a stimulating part of your life, full of a lot of interaction with other writers?
2. Advice and guidance.
Being willing to bring in as much information as possible about the writing craft isn’t just a smart way to uplevel your craft. It also opens doors for learning ways to improve your writing, feel connected to others, and remind yourself that you are committed to your passion.
As you probably know, there are tons of fantastic books, articles, video tutorials, Ted Talks, infographics and blog series out there on seemingly every aspect of the writing life. Dive in — if you’re wondering how to write in a specific genre, or any other aspects of craft, there’s tons of articles out there on sites organized by top publishing experts, such as Writer’s Digest.
Try this:
Have a bookmarks folder on your web browser, or use a Pinterest board to organize great writing advice you come across. Then set a reminder to dedicate a certain amount of time each week to read through the articles you stashed away. To get you started, have you checked my series of videos or my workshops and retreats?
3. Cheerleaders in your corner.
I cannot emphasize this third stepping stone enough — it has the potential for being your most stable source of support. Especially in times when authors I know have struggled getting through a complicated book edit, or when they’ve received another disappointing rejection letter, having a strong group of cheerleaders becomes your guiding light.
You might be wondering, how does one assemble such a team? For one, it’s a great idea to attend writer’s workshops, conferences, or take a writing class. That way, you surround yourself with like-minded writers who not only share your goals, but sympathize with the same kinds of struggles.
This can be challenging for some, but you can also turn to friends and family and ask for specific support when it comes to your writing life.
Another great source of support is your book editor. If you don’t have one yet, understand that great, experienced book editors aren’t just people who mark up your manuscript. They can mentor you, be the person you bounce ideas off of, help steer your writing career, and even be the person to connect you to professionals like book cover designers and marketing experts once your publishing dreams become a reality.