Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Insecure Writers: Savage Courage

It's the first Wednesday of the month, so it's time for The Insecure Writers! The IWSG is an online group created by Alex J. Cavanaugh for writers. You, too, can join us anytime!

Happy Wednesday, IWSG-ers! I'm continuing my recent IWSG trend of NOT writing about my own insecurities, but instead trying to offer some help, advice, inspiration, or wisdom. I'm not often always successful, but I am trying!

I've been thinking a lot about courage these days. It takes courage to live true to who you are, and to work from that place of truth - and if you're a writer, to write from that place. All the time. Every day. Even when the muse doesn't show up, or when the muse does a runner and it seems as if life is hanging all of its troubles on you, and the very weight of those troubles is enough to bring you to your knees. Still, you have to find a way to live and work and write from that place of truth. You have to dig deeply inside of yourself, to the darkest and heaviest places that have both buried and birthed your strength, and dredge up the courage to keep going. It can be a savage sort of courage, fueled by anger and frustration; or a tired sort, quiet and calm and lined with steel.

I've been reading quite a lot of creative non-fiction these days, and to me, one writer stands out as exemplifying this courage, both savage and quiet: Cheryl Strayed. My first exposure to her was this essay in The Sun Magazine, and I was floored by the sheer naked honesty of that piece. It's turbo-courage.

I was so affected by that piece that I kept reading her work. As I mentioned last month, I read Wild, and then I read Tiny Beautiful Things, and it's from the second that I'm going to draw today's inspiration. The book is a collection drawn from the Rumpus's Dear Sugar advice column, in the years when Strayed wrote as anonymously as Sugar, and both letters and responses feel more like beautifully crafted personal essays than advice columns.

The first thought for today is from a letter about envy. How can we not feel jealousy when others are succeeding, garnering book deals and awards and acclaim, and we are not? Strayed writes:
"I know it’s not easy being an artist. I know the gulf between creation and commerce is so tremendously wide that it’s sometimes impossible not to feel annihilated by it. A lot of artists give up because it’s just too damn hard to go on making art in a culture that by and large does not support its artists. But the people who don’t give up are the people who find a way to believe in abundance rather than scarcity. They've taken into their hearts the idea that there is enough for all of us, that success will manifest itself in different ways for different sorts of artists, that keeping the faith is more important than cashing the check, that being genuinely happy for someone else who got something you hope to get makes you genuinely happier too."
The second thought is taken from a response to letter written by a despairing young writer, who worries that she "writes like a girl" and that she'll never have any success. Strayed's response is to not write like a girl, but to write like a motherf----r. To dig up that courage and get down to work and just work. It's the thought I'll leave you with for today, but I do highly recommend you read the whole thing:
"We get the work done on the ground level. And the kindest thing I can do for you is to tell you to get your ass on the floor. I know it’s hard to write, darling. But it’s harder not to. The only way you’ll find out if you “have it in you” is to get to work and see if you do. The only way to override your “limitations, insecurities, jealousies, and ineptitude” is to produce. You have limitations. You are in some ways inept. This is true of every writer...You will feel insecure and jealous. How much power you give those feelings is entirely up to you."
Good luck, IWSG-ers! I believe in you.

When do you find yourself unable to write, and how do you write your way out of it? Where do you draw courage from? Who are you reading who's inspiring you these days?

20 comments:

  1. I have to wait for my muse. I know there are endless opinions on how that's not how a professional writer works, but I know from experience that if I don't have that urge to write, whatever ends up on the page will be thrown straight away. It's just the way it is for me, sadly.

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    1. I'm somewhere in the middle, Annalisa. I won't toss it, but I'll probably heavily edit it. :P

      I'm learning to push myself to get some word count even when I'm less than inspired. It's tough, but what I end up with usually isn't totally horrible. ...just not as polished.

      Great post (as always), Liz. :)

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  2. I love that--we do live in a culture that doesn't support its artists. And it's a shame. I love writing, but to make a real living at it, I have to write for businesses. I'd rather write fiction, but art doesn't pay! Writing press releases and copy for websites pays.

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  3. This is a tough one, Liz. And I think about it ALL of the time, especially since I work for people who have millions and millions of dollars. I try not to envy their success but sometimes, I just can't help it.
    I loved what Strayed wrote about in regards to success manifesting itself in other ways. For me, I have learned success comes from the heart and how you FEEL about your work as an artist. Even though my book sales online have been enough to buy a few happy meals, my author visits to school is what really keeps me going. Seeing the kids's faces light up with excitement and enthusiasm in my presence is an irreplaceable feeling. And for me, this type of success surpasses that of any amount of money... because in the end, the children have changed me for the better and I am growing in the right direction as a result=)

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  4. I like that second thought a lot! Just work. The two thoughts go hand in hand. When people express their envy of someone else, I usually furrow my brow and think, "then do something about it."

    I haven't caught myself being envious lately. Maybe I'm blind to my own flaws. Maybe I'm happy with my life. Maybe I'm the artist?

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  5. Well, I am reading you! I am reading the other bloggers and it gives me ideas and motivation(which I need a lot). I write little snippets to fell my groove. When reading this I was thinking of Cambodia, Russia and other places of past and now where artists, writers, teachers were killed because of what they did or knew. They were felt as a theat. The Cultural Revolution in China was beyond disgusting as was the Khmer Rouge in the 70's and even 80's. We need writers and other artists and, despite the frustrations of not being noticed, find the courage to stand for what you have in your blood. I love what you have written here. Courage is always needed

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    1. Yes, that does put things in perspective, doesn't it? It helps to remember that for some artists, it really is a life or death situation. Thanks, Birgit :)

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  6. I've certainly felt like the muse has left me lately. Still haven't quite figured out how to write my way through it.

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  7. The only time I'm unable to write is when I'm too tired...which is a lot lately, but I'm more determined than tired, so watch out world! ;)

    Unleashing the Dreamworld

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  8. How much power we give them is indeed up to us...

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  9. Just like with Crystal, I can't write when I'm physically and mentally exhausted. Or when I'm sick. If I have a simple cold, don't expect me to write a single sentence. I hate it! But getting better is more important.

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  10. I have a difficult time with this because I have so many people in my life who scrutinize my writing and come back to me and demand to know, "Where did this come from?" and "What were you thinking about?" and "Is this about me/us?" It makes me feel as if I cannot write what I really want because I will be judged for it. And that's very frustrating. And oppressive.

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  11. When I don't know what to do when I hit a writing wall, I switch over to a different story. Usually works for me. I'm still a slow writer though.

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  12. It is hard not to let that envy bug get an author down. Books do take a lot of time and energy to get right.

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  13. I think one of the things I like about this group is that no one feels jealous and we feel actual happiness for each other.

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  14. Good advice, there. I know that what gets me down is the fear of failure; I've blogged about that before. I just have to keep telling myself that, as long as I keep going, I'll succeed someday. It gets harder and harder every year, every month, every day. But I haven't quit, so I guess that's some kind of courage, savage or not.

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  15. Such a great post. Wow. Yeah, Cheryl Strayed is awesome. I picked up a copy of Wild in a free little library in my 'hood and it was awesome. She is amazing, and has a great perspective on writing. In the end, I truly believe we gotta write for ourselves or it's nothing, even if we hit the bestseller lists.

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  16. "You have to dig deeply inside of yourself, to the darkest and heaviest places that have both buried and birthed your strength, and dredge up the courage to keep going."

    Liz, you nailed it with this one. :) What a wonderful and inspiring post. Just want an "insecure" writer needs. So glad I'm back on the blogosphere in time to catch this. Then again, it was probably meant to be that I came back when you posted this. :*)

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  17. love love love this post. My greatest inspiration are books by my fav authors and luckily a few have just been released (Harlan Coben, Stephanie Perkins, and Sophie Kinsella!) Also Taylor Swift's lyrics always inspire me to write!

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  18. Happiness for others most definitey begets happiness for yourself. And there's something quite comforting in accepting that I have ineptitudes as a writer.

    My self-imposed 90 minutes a day of distraction-free writing is doing wonders for getting my "ass off the floor"!

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