Because I don’t get paid to do this all day long, I often don’t feel I have the right to call myself a writer. But lately, I lay full claim to that title. Why? Because I’m earning it. For the past two weeks I have had my butt in this chair every day for at least a couple of hours. (I do have a job and a toddler.) And I’m not browsing the internet. (Haven’t seen a post from me in a while, have you?) I am sweating and bleeding onto the page. I am toiling over words. It feels fantastically awful and awfully fantastic, depending on when you ask me.
I’m feeling like a writer because I’m pushing through the tough parts. A few days ago, I plunged into the next chapter of revisions and found I had to rewrite an entire scene. I sat down and wrote it, and it was really, really bad.
Usually, I would be so discouraged by this initial failure that it would take me a few days to face the page again. But this time, I went right back to it the very next day. I worked it. Then I moved on. And it’s better. Not perfect, but better. I can live with that.
I’m feeling like this is my job that I go to every day without question, without stalling, without excuses. Inspiration doesn’t make me feel like a writer. Working at it every day does. Hey, I may finish this novel yet!
When do you most feel like a writer?
I hope all of the NaNoWriMo participants out there will also feel like writers very soon, if you don’t already.
8 comments:
Great post, Lisa!
It was a long time before I felt like a writer. And it was working at a story- again and again- that made me feel that way.
Janet Reid had a great post about this just today....
Congrats!
Tonight I really felt like a writer - I officially only have 3 chapters left of my novel. I can see the finish line. Like you, I feel like I've earned the title. Two years of my life! Heck, yes, I earned it.
Way to go, Donna! I'm cheering you across that finish line.
Way to go, Donna!
I go in spurts.
some days I feel like a writer
others I feel like a wanna-be-hack
in the end, the good outweigh the bad so I keep pushing ahead :)
and, congrats on the progress!
I was going to mention Janet Reid's post, but Sarah beat me to it. All of you who have commented are writers!
Oh I love this post! It takes me back to my track running days. I ran the 400 meters and by turn three I couldn't feel my legs. By the time I thought my lungs would explode, I crossed the line. Writing is a lot like that sometimes.
Lisa - I feel the same way! Like it's not a job b/c so far, there's no $$ coming in. That makes it hard to set time aside. What makes it easier is that when I do write, I feel great! Congrats on working through your revisions!
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