Being by yourself is another way to peer inside. It allows you time to value you, your being.
It’s a time to replenish and refresh your writing soul. Without distractions, you can stay emotionally in this place. You can pay attention to how this feels to get to know you.
Writers tend to beat themselves up. We’re hard on ourselves when we should be friends with our writer’s self.
To Be Friends
You must have heard of the thirty-six questions to ask at the start of a relationship. It’s meant to be used between two people so they can bond. Why not ask these questions to yourself? You’re by yourself, you, and your writer self, so there’s no need to feel self-conscious. Pull out a mirror and read the questions aloud then answer them. Remember to keep good eye contact.
Here’s a modified version of the question list. Use it to talk between you and your writer self.
- Who would you like to have dinner with?
- Would you like to be famous? What would you be famous for?
- What’s a “perfect” day for you?
- When did you last sing to yourself?
- Do you feel grateful for anything? What is it?
- If you could change something about your way of being, what would it be?
- Take four minutes to speak about yourself.
- Is there something you’ve dreamt of doing for a long time? If you haven’t done it, why?
- What do you value most about yourself?
- What is your most treasured memory?
- What is your most terrible memory?
- If you knew you’d die suddenly in a year, would you change anything about the way you live now? Why aren’t you doing this sooner?
- What does having a friendship with yourself mean to you?
- What is something you consider a positive characteristic of yours? Can you name five positive traits?
- Make three true statements of what is going on right now.
- Tell yourself what you like about you.
- What is an embarrassing moment in your life?
- What, if anything, is so serious it can’t be joked about?
- What do you want people to feel as they read your work?
Solitude and Your Core Values
Time with yourself can be your opportunity to explore your personal goals. When you can merge your writing life and your core values, you live and write in alignment with who you are.
When you write from your core, writing from the inside out, gives your writing a purpose and passion.
People who read your writing will notice this, but it will be on a subconscious level. As you write from your deep place, it speaks to something as deep within the reader. They will notice that your writing has a distinct revelation to it.
Some books have done this to you. They become a part of you, and you can recall specific scenes you still carry within.
All you create, each word, any social media post, and each image or video you share need to be aligned with you at your core source.
When you understand yourself better, as you write and create, understanding will come and grow. It will become second nature to you.
Another way to describe this is the flow state.
The flow state is where the need to write, your will to write, and your craft overlap.
This overlap is at the deepest part of your being where your core values reside.
I’ll bet there’ve been times when writing you’ve hit the flow. All writers do at times.
Nothing mattered but the writing, there were no outside concerns. The flow state even removes time. I’ll bet you never thought about your word count during this.
The only thing that mattered was the writing, and it was effortless.
Wouldn’t it be nice to visit this state more often? Well, you will.
It would be nice if you could flip a switch to reach the flow state.
The next best thing to a switch is to carry a journal with you.
Just to remind myself of this purpose, I carry a journal. I’ve written across the cover “Free Fall Of Thought.”
Sometimes I’ll have a few minutes to write, other times a bit longer.
Try it. Write with no preconceived ideas, censoring, or judgments.
Write from your inner core and connect with it on the page. Be an explorer in your stream of conscious writing and let your inner self come out and play.
You might find hidden depths that had never dawned on you before.
You're on a Mission
You’re on a mission to write. To have an impact on the lives of people, some you know, most you don’t. It’s an imposing challenge.
And a responsibility to your readers.
The clearer you’re about yourself and why you write, the more in line you are with your core values. People will be attracted to you because they begin to understand you, your words, and your take on things. Your inner values start to mingle with that, which is also deep within your reader.
They become accustomed to your voice and way of seeing things. They begin to feel what you write.
Equally, if you’re unsure about your mission and what you want to accomplish, then how can you expect readers to rally to your writing.
Readers want to find stories they can be passionate about. Again, think of the books and stories that resonate with you.
Knowing your core values will shape your mission and becomes part of your purpose as you create.
Determine that, which you’re passionate about. This is the driving force that energizes you to write. You may have an idea about what that is, and now is the time to define it, make it real.
It’s time to start thinking of you as an author. This is why you are writing. Lay the groundwork now, early in your career.