Is It Time to Burst Your Writing Bubble?
So, you know you’re a good writer.
You’ve been told as much.
Had great feedback from teachers, from people who read your work, from your own inner editor who nods and says ‘yep, that’s good’.
Maybe it’s always been your dream to be a writer. To get published, to see your name in print, to make a living from your words.
Yes, you know you’re a writer.
The only thing is: you’re not writing.
Not much anyway. Not as much as you like.
When you do sit down to write, other stuff seems to have a knack of getting in the way.
You never quite get round to finishing off that article, or publishing that new blog site, or sitting down to write the book / poem / song / novel that’s been on your to-do list forever.
You know you can write. You know you want to write. You’re just not sure why it’s so hard to sit down and make it happen.
If that sounds familiar, it could be time to burst your writing bubble… … and take up writing practice in the real world instead.
Perhaps that sounds harsh. I know. It’s nice living in the bubble world.
In the bubble world
- You see your work being published to international acclaim. Your writing is recognised for what it is: smart, honest, sassy, funny [insert adjectives of choice].
- You construct brilliant new websites in your head. Design, navigation, scintillating content, the works. (But never hit ‘publish’).
- You’re immune from criticism. From silence. From no reaction at all.
- You can hold on your writing identity.
- You’re safe.
In the real world
- You have to live with the frustrations of the art of patience and playing the long game.
- You swallow disappointment. Accept that sometimes nothing will happen when you write, and publish. No criticism, no snarky comments, just no reaction at all. And have to learn to keep going anyway.
- You accept that writing is only part of what you do: maybe there’s not enough money in it to pay all your bills.
- Your writing identity gets squashed, bashed and stretched.
- You feel exposed.
But then again: In the bubble world
- You find a million ways to stay too busy and distracted to write.
- You know your writing identity isn’t true.
- You’re not writing
In the real world
- You start to take more risks. You publish when your stuff is ‘good enough’ and learn as you go. You make time for writing practice as part of your routine, and it feels good
- Your writing identity gets squashed, bashed, stretched, fed and watered, loved, lost, celebrated… true.
- You write.
Maybe it’s time. Painful, messy, difficult as it might be: maybe it’s time to burst the bubble. ~~~
What do you think: have you ever found yourself in a bubble world, of writing or any other variety? Did a time come when you had to burst the bubble?
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Good post to help us keep our feet on the ground and to keep writing. Thanks!
Okay, okay, okay … I’ll close the internet browser and do some writing. You don’t need to nag… (sheesh).
(grin)
Seriously, it’s all true. You can call yourself anything you like, but it doesn’t make it so. I can tell people I’m an international movie star with a rich husband and a dozen fabulously talented children but it doesn’t make it true. Calling yourself a writer and then not actually WRITING is just false advertising. And since I don’t think writing blog comments quite works as a qualifier, you’ll excuse me while I fire up my word processor…
Thanks Joanna – I needed this. Well, I know I don’ THINK like the bubble world, but sometimes I get discouraged like in the bubble world! I guess the part about publishing the “good enough” is what I struggle with. Perfectionist! LOL
Thanks!
Julie
I’ve spent waaaay too much time in writing bubbles. I’ll get out of one, spend time in reality, and then back into another bubble I’ll go. I’m truly hoping I’ve stepped out of bubble-living for good now, but we’ll see. The only way to stay out for me is to just keep writing!
Hi Joanna,
This post is right on! I recently burst my writing bubble by taking two risks: 1) I started a band in April. and 2) I confessed my sin of ignoring Inspiration, repented, and determined not to ignore her again.
It’s funny, I used to write one or two songs or poems a year when I would happen upon Inspiration, and I would feel vaguely satisfied–a “someday singer/songwriter.” Now, it’s as if I have put myself in Inspiration’s way. I wrote three new songs in June, and have several more in the making.
Now it’s a matter of getting good enough to take the risk of publishing. I can’t wait!
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Couldn’t agree more. In the bubble world I have the time to present perfect work, in the real world I have to deal with clients and I have to deal with deadlines, and I have to deal with sometimes making mistakes, but I’d still rather make my living from writing than anything else in the world.
Wow Joanna, in your very gentle way you really have burst my bubble! Yes, sadly I have been in that bubble for far too long lately which is one of the reasons I instantly signed up for the Summer Writing Space with you. We have a choice to dream of writing or to do it. The doing is not always a beautiful work of art but it’s much better to have a tangible bit that says you’re a writer and not just the voice in your head.
Hi Joanna – I can so relate to this. A few years ago, I befriended a girl on a writing course. We both had jobs but my hours enabled me to fit in a lot of fiction writing, if I got up at 4am.
She used to moan about how much more time I had than her and how all she really wanted to do was write but she never made time to do so.
When I started my second business I found myself inside the bubble. I could no longer squeeze in time to write fiction, or complete my novel. I consoled myself in the fact that at least I was still able to write sales letters and marketing material but it wasn’t the same.
The truth is, if we want to write, we’ve got to make time to do it every single day. I didn’t have to devote so many hours to that second business – it was my choice and my own fault that I didn’t have time to write.
It’s hard to tell someone this when they’re complaining but I think it’s kinder in the long run.
[...] It is Time to Burst Your Writing Bubble – burst it like it’s hot [...]
Joanna, yes, what you depict is pretty much really what happens to a writer sometimes. There is this image of being a writer (read successful) and he is stuck on to the image. Time passes by. He hasn’t written much of late, but he sill sees the image fresh. That is where the bubble part comes.
It happens. The best thing to do, is to write, write, write even if you are not being paid for it. Meaning, personal blogs, forums, social networking. Important to be ‘in the groove’ and the laurels will find their way.
God – I relate to this far more than I would like to. Time to stop crying and get up earlier I think… Really great post Joanna.
But i like living in a bubble!
Great post Joanna, a lot of this really does ring true. I still struggle to take constructive criticism on board, but am appreciating that a different pair of eyes will see things that can really add value to a piece of writing.
But it’s worth remembering that the best work comes from inspiration, and if you don’t have any then it’s perhaps best to climb back in that bubble.
Lou glad you enjoyed it.
-Deb oh I wasn’t meaning to nag…
You’re right, comments don’t count… but they are good warm up exercises for the fingers. PS I love the headline of that post of yours that’s showing up with comment luv!
Julie I think most of us struggle with perfectionism in some shape or form. Part of the art and craft is polishing your work until it’s good, right and ready. I suppose the other part though is allowing it be good enough, and out there…
Jean I’m sure you’re not alone – I guess we all use bubbles for comfort at different times in our lives… I guess part of the trick is at least to know that you’re doing it, and how to step out (or burst it!). Here’s to the ‘just keep writing’ as a way out the other side
Leah I lov that – putting yourself in inspiration’s way. Can’t wait to see / hear the songs!
Lesley sounds like you’ve got yourself onto some good writing tracks… that’s great
Karen I think I wrote it to burst some of my own bubbles too. It’s good to dream, but in the end those dreams will sour if you don’t get out of the bubble and into the real world, warts and all (to mix a lot of metaphors!) Looking forward to seeing you in the writing space x
Cath I think you’re right – at the end of the day, we’re making the choices, even if we’re not consciously aware that’s what we’re doing.
Punam yes, I think it’s important to get into the writing groove, because then the words have a wonderful way of finding their own path through!
Rachel wishing you many happy hours of writing – even if they are first thing in the morning
Derek you’re right, it is of course more of a balancing act than straight contrasts as suggested in this post… Coming back to my most recent post – it’s like the need both to be found and to hide away – we need to put our words out there, to share them, let them go and allow for reactions including constructive criticism… but we do also need to maintain enough space (or bubble wrap) to protect our creative self from feeling too exposed. I don’t pretend to have ‘the’ answer on this… simply that there are times when we can end up too caught up in a bubble, in writing, or other areas of life…
[...] Yes, I did notice the read across from bubble wrap and the note to self from the other week about emerging from the bubble world. Funny how much we blog for our own benefit isn’t [...]
[...] in the end, you can only complain so much. In the end, you have to return to your bubble, as Joanna Young rightly describes it, and face the facts. You are, essentially, alone with your [...]