5 Things Drag Taught Me About Writing
I’ve learned so much about learning
Everyone Has Their Own Style
I’ve seen a lot of drag performances since moving to the city for college, and every performer has their own flare. When you’re starting out, it’s easiest to look at the way other people do it and try to imitate them, but this will only get you so far. You have to grow into your own skin. Find a way to let your personality shine through.
The same is true of writing. Sure, it can be a helpful exercise to imitate someone else’s style, but if you want to move forward, you need to find your own voice.
Small Victories Make All the Difference
This applies to most things. Learning is a process, and a terribly inconsistent one. You might feel good about your progress one day and become stuck the next.
I’m still trying to learn the splits. Some days, I swear I’m almost there. Others, my hamstrings are screaming at me. I’ve learned to look for small victories, like the back of my front thigh brushing the floor.
It’s okay to not be where you want to be. Find little things to celebrate along the way.
Practicing in Public Will Save You Time
I’ve been dabbling in drag for almost a year now, and guess what? I’m still an amateur. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I wasn’t regularly performing in front of anyone. I kept my imperfections in the safety of my own room, trying to practice them away before I let anyone see.
That didn’t work. The first time I performed outside of my college, I kind of sucked. I had assumed that since I’d spent so much time trying to get good before showing my face to the public, I would actually be good.
A week later, I performed again. I was still far from where I wanted to be, but in 7 days, I’d made more progress than I had in months. And it wasn’t because I’d practiced more, it was because I’d started practicing in front of people.
If you don’t let anyone read your work until you think it’s perfect, it’s never going to be perfect. You need feedback to learn the things you don’t know.
Building a Community Is More Important Than Building Fame
I’ll be the first to admit that I joined Medium for the partner program. It didn’t occur to me that a platform like this would be perfect for building a community of writers that I could connect with. Months later, the community is my favorite thing about writing.
When I started doing drag, it wasn’t at all for the monetary benefits. If I’m being honest, I’ve spent much more money on drag than I have on most of my other hobbies. A few tips here and there are nice, but I’m still spending more than I’m earning.
And I’m okay with that. The community is wonderful, and while my money-anxiety isn’t a fan of all the new makeup I had to buy for contouring, I’m having the time of my life.
I feel connected to something important, and that’s the thing that keeps me going.
We Make Each Other Better
This kind of goes with the last one, but hear me out.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been told that humans are inherently selfish. We’re born selfish, and we have to go against our deepest instincts to put other people first. Human nature is rotten. If left to our own devices, we’d do more harm than good.
I don’t believe that. We’re social creatures. We help other people even when we don’t need to. We make each other better. We play off of each other’s strengths.
Maybe I’m naive. That’s okay. I’ve seen love at the center of everything, and I refuse to believe that we don’t deserve it.
Starting drag has helped me realize where I still need to grow, and people around me have been more than willing to show me the things I don’t know. Asking for help makes us better. The same goes for writing.
For every little thing you don’t know, there’s someone out there who’s willing to teach you.
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