5 Things to Help You Be a Happy Writer

Last week I was trundling along on the treadmill looking at blog posts when I came across a link to a Writer’s Digest post, “It’s Great to Suck at Writing” by Karen Rinaldi. Rinaldi discusses the idea that to succeed as a writer you first have to be okay with sucking and then working really, really hard to improve. Those who expect to be great at it from the outset and aren’t willing to adjust their attitude are doomed to failure.

Wait a minute. Why am I talking about failure? Didn’t I promise you 5 things to help you be a happy writer? I did. And here comes #1.

Adopt a growth mindset. Students with a growth mindset don’t focus on grades. They focus on the challenge of learning. In much the same way, writers with a growth mindset look at their lack of skill in a given area as a chance to learn and improve. A rejection is a chance to try again and do better.

Try new things. Related to having a growth mindset is a willingness to try new things. In writing, this might mean learning to use Scrivener. It might also mean learning to write in a new genre such as graphic novels or learning about magazine writing if you are novelist. Writers who are willing to try new things challenge themselves. Studies show that when we are challenged we are happier.

Find a way to use your character strengths. As part of a class I am taking, we took a survey to determine our character strengths. Not surprisingly, my five greatest strengths are creativity (artistic and finding new ways to do things), love of learning, judgement (an ability to look at all sides of an issue), gratitude, and bravery (a willingness act or speak up about something even if your perspective is unpopular). As a nonfiction writer who writes about race and social justice, I get to use all of these traits on a regular basis. Take the quiz which you can find here and look for a way to use your strengths in your writing. 

Get out among people. People, even introverts, are social animals. We are happiest when we spend at least some time with others. Yes, even introverts. Studies show that even eating chocolate is more enjoyable in the company of another person even if you don’t interact. It is easy to do much of what we need to do online, but every now and then it pays to get out in the brick-and-mortar world. Go to the library. Pick up your office supplies instead of having them delivered. Meet the clerk’s eye and thank them for their help.

Find a writing community. People in general are good but writers need fellow writers. Unfortunately, you may not be able to find other writers where you live. That’s where WOW! can come in handy. Communities like this are a great way to connect with people who are as interested in writing as you are. Having people who know what you are going through will help to bolster your spirits all along your writing journey.

It may be great to suck at writing, but it is even better if you can manage to be happy while you learn and grow.

--SueBE

To find out more about Sue Bradford Edwards' writing, visit her blog, One Writer's Journey.  Sue is also the instructor for Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults. The next session begins July 22nd, 2019.

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3 comments challenging yourself, happiness, learning new skills, writing communities

Green-Eyed Author Monster

I love writing support groups. They provide advice, writing tips, and great publishing advice. I particularly enjoy reading group-member success stories; they inspire me and give me hope for my own writing career.

Some time ago, while I was reading posts on a Facebook writer’s support group, I read the post of a fellow author who joyously shared the news that a literary agent had offered her representation. Naturally, everyone who commented offered his or her heartfelt congratulations.
I started to type a similar congratulatory response, but this time, my fingers froze as a small voice in my head surfaced.

“Go ahead,” it said. “Write what you really think.”

What did I think? I was happy for her, but another, less Beth-like part of me was angry. Why? Why should this person get what I desired the most? Why should I congratulate my fellow writer when I had yet to be successful? I have already admitted, in a previous post, to sending out over 100 query letters – all of which resulted in rejection; so, to summon a positive, heartfelt response was beyond me at that moment.

Disappointed in my reaction, I left the computer and took a break to collect my thoughts. Writing is a tough profession, I reminded myself. The competition is enormous, and there are no guarantees we will succeed the way we want. This fellow writer is a success story, which should be celebrated. I had no business scorning her achievement. The more I thought about it, the more I realized the truth: I wasn’t angry with her. I was angry with myself for not achieving my goals. I felt sorry for myself – as we have all done at one point or another – and I let that self-pity override my happiness for her accomplishment.

When the selfish side of me faded, I popped back on to Facebook to give my writing-buddy the congratulations she deserved. She sent me a private message later, expressing how long she had been working towards this goal, what a hard journey it had been, and how she knew I would find an agent too, someday.

As writers, it is imperative that we form positive, encouraging communities which support one another. That is part of what Women on Writing does. It provides wisdom, encouragement, and ideas for people who love to write. By helping one another, we form a strong group of people who will continue to nurture the art of writing. Jealously might creep into the picture from time to time, but we should not let that jealously overshadow the positive aspects of a writing community.

It took this experience to remind me that a win for one writer is a win for many. While I cannot promise that I’ll never have another momentary pity-party, I can promise that I won’t let it get in the way of my support for my fellow writers. Now, I appreciate my writing groups more than ever.



Bethany Masone Harar is an author, teacher, and blogger, who does her best to turn reluctant readers into voracious, book-reading nerds. Check out her blog here.

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7 comments agent representation, author, author success, Beth Harar, jealously, Publishing, writing communities, writing inspiration, writing success stories, writing support groups