What I Want from My Writing: A Confession & a Mini-Challenge for You via @Kathrynclang

"Why Write?" a question many bloggers grapple with daily.

I have written to the writing prompt, “Why write?” quite a few times. My answers usually hum a similar tune. Today, though, I am thinking a bit more strategically. Here’s what I mean: the prompt I was given from my blogging mini-challenge from Kathryn C. Lang gives me a completely different spin on my usual “why write”….

What do you want from your writing?

I want self acceptance from my writing.

Believe it or not, that was the first response to bubble up from my gut.

I want my writing to offer me relentless self-acceptance.

Whoa.

What on earth does that mean?

A-ha moment response to the question, "What do you want from your writing?" mini -challenge

For decades I have been told I am a gifted writer. I have been asked, “Where can I buy your books?” Well, I am in anthologies, I do have poems on greeting cards, I am in poetry anthologies but as for just me? I have a couple dusty ebooks before the days of Kindle and Nook….

I need to stop giving my power both as a writer and as a human being over to people who I have the inaccurate and paranoid fear might want to target me if I “let my success get out of hand.” I am writing this with some sense of stream of consciousness, so I am not putting much a veil between what I am typing and my inner critic.

What you read is what I wrote, in the moment. See? I am apologizing because I have yet to offer myself relentless and radical self acceptance.

Before I call this the magic key and come up with some terrific blog headlines such as “The Seven Jealously Guarded Secrets to Finally Following Your Dreams of Becoming a Best Selling Author” I need to percolate on this for a bit. My “percolating” usually mean, well, always means… writing a bit more. It means walking, thinking, perhaps painting and perhaps even having sex to get the physical self acceptance going, so I may not be able to go further in this one posting.

In fact I am going to practice radical and relentless self acceptance by saying YES to my process and asking you to please return for part two.

In the meantime, care to join me in writing along this mini-challenge theme?

What do you want from your writing?

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© 2013 by Julie Jordan Scott

 

 

 This is my thirty first post (of 31!) for the January Ultimate Blog Challenge. Watch here for challenge posts which will include Writing Prompts, Writing Tips and General Life Tips and Essays.