Want to write but can’t? Goddammit. Just. Do. It.
This is what I would tattoo on my chest—if only it would be a little larger—and the chest of every other “I want to be a writer!” person I encounter (if it weren’t kind of wrong to tattoo other people):
“I can strive to create empowering beliefs, work on my self-esteem, and practice positive self-talk to focus my mind and affirm my power to visualize desired outcomes so as to acquire the confidence to generate the courage to find the determination to make the commitment to feel sufficiently motivated to get down to work.
“Or I can just do it.”
– Dan Millman, co-author of The Creative Compass
But since my hit-by-a-truck/PTSD episode, I’ve learned a little bit of compassion.
Just a little bit…
She is my favourite teacher: Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, a 12-week creative recovery course. Shorthand: every morning, write three pages, in long-hand, of pure and utter crap. About anything. About nothing. It will change your life.
If there is too much God and spirituality in Julia for you: Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones.
If you have ADD (I think it’s a gift and a beautiful thing; don’t get defensive, look, shiny things!)
and really like pretty colours: SARK’s Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper.
You: Oh, that’s a good start… what else should I read?
Me: DON’T! Stop reading and write something.
(This is me channeling Julia Cameron, who destroyed my life for a horrible week in the fall of 2014 with a reading deprivation exercise. Oh, yes. Try this: DO NOT READ FOR A WEEK. Nothing. No books. No magazines. No Facebook status updates. No news. No email. NOTHING.)
(YOU: “Oh-my-fucking-god-what-am-I-doing-to-do-if-I-don’t-read?”
ME (and Julia): Write. You just might write.)
m jane colette 