Some days have been difficult to carve out time and headspace to write, but I made it through. I am grateful for this because it is far too easy for me to opt out if I have no accountability.
Even though I know the Muse is called by actually writing.
Even though I know writing soothes.
Even though I know writers write.
This lesson was super-solidified for me from this year.
I don't feel especially as though I've found my writing tribe, however. I guess this lesson was also super-solidified for me this year, too. As hard as it is for me to own up to, days of no comments, or maybe 1 comment are deflating. Writers need readers. We need community. We need encouragement and atta-boys. We need to know we aren't screaming into the void.
At least I need that.
I love this community, but I'm a visitor, an outlier, not family.
I'm getting cool with that. I get so much from being on the welcome wagon (year 2!) and reading the slices of others. No sour grapes, at all. I just recognize that I need to keep searching for my audience. I can't change my voice and remain authentic. My writing improves by writing. My habit is created by doing it again and again and again. Not everything is for everyone. All of this is okay. It is life.
I'm so grateful for the opportunity to participate, to read so many wonderful writers, and to be a part of something so grand.
There's something so powerful about writing to an authentic audience. Feedback of any kind provides growth. I also enjoy reading the work of others. It provides us with that sense of community. Thank you for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteKeep writing! I enjoying reading your posts & learning more about you. We don't have enough time during... life... to get to know each as well as I get to know you here.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting thoughts on community and audience. Now you've got me thinking about audience in this community. I know many readers who would really enjoy your blog and deeply connect with your voice, interests, perspectives, and I wonder if they just haven't found their way here yet. I find the Slicing community is almost too big! It can get overwhelming. My supportive slicing family of commenters was actually built through #imwayr and #celebratelu, I think. Then they started showing up for my slices too! I might have to blog on this at some point.... I think for me, the biggest part was actually leaving a lot more comments myself on other people's blogs (they eventually mostly made their way to my blog to see who in the world I was!) and then taking a note from Carrie Gelson and Linda Baie and responding to every comment left on my blog. I don't always do that anymore--though I think they both still do! Oh, and NCTE. Going to NCTE and meeting people makes a big difference.
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