Do You Have a Writer’s Creed?

Staying focused on why you write

You’ve heard it all before, I am sure. I don’t have to elaborate on how writing can seem like a thankless way to spend your life or how you shouldn’t count on your writing to pay the bills. Many famous, prolific, talented, and successful writers have elucidated all these writing tips and more. Writers like Anne Lamott, Elizabeth Gilbert, and those we aspire to be like have written books and talked at length about the writing life.

But, despite the dire predictions that most writers will never make a living with their words, the warning that building a social media following in today’s saturated online environment is tiresome and requires dedication and patience, and the defeating messages from writers about all the reasons we should not dedicate ourselves to writing, we continue to do it.

It’s like a drug; we can’t not write. It’s like an abusive relationship; maybe this time will be different and maybe I’ll get more than a handful of readers. It’s like self-punishment; we blame ourselves: if only I had spent more time on the first draft, maybe I should take more writing classes, what was I even thinking about submitting that piece?

And yet, we keep writing.

If you find yourself caught up in all the reasons why you should quit writing or you are losing your perspective as you check your stats on Medium or your Facebook page, maybe it’s time to get clear about why you write.

A long time ago when I was dewy-eyed and full of youthful optimism about my future as a writer, I read the book The Creative Call by Janice Elsheimer and I made the commitment to dedicate my life to writing. Elsheimer elevates writing to a calling, and not just any calling, but one given to us by the Creator. Thus, the creative call.

Elsheimer suggests penning a writer’s creed. Basically, it’s a mission statement. Or, as Simon Sinek would ask, What’s your why?

Most organizations, churches, and businesses create mission statements. The mission statement serves to keep everyone working for the organization on the same page and reminds the leaders what the goals are for the company. When decisions are being made, or money is being spent, everyone can look back at the mission statement and decide if the actions being taken serve the core purpose of the group.

You could do the same as a writer. Create a mission statement or a writer’s creed.

My writer’s creed

I believe that writing is a talent and a gift from God. It is the way God has made me and how I express myself, understand myself, make sense of the world around me, and relate to Him on an intimate level. I believe God has spoken to me and called me to write. I desire for my writing to be used by God to encourage, train, or inspire others. I pray that I will honor the gift God has entrusted me with and that I will discipline myself to develop and use it. I will trust God for the wisdom and grace to keep my priorities in line with His will for my life in order to be able to stay true to the calling to write.

When I get in a funk about writing or forget why I write, I pull this out and read it out loud. Notice that nowhere in my writer’s creed did I say that God promised me fame and fortune. Or recognition, or fans, or claps…

I desire that my writing will help others but sometimes I have to remind myself that those others might by in ones and twos, not thousands or millions. I also have to drag my ego back to reality and remind it that when I am writing I am a better person — whether I make money or not. Period.

I’ve experimented enough with my life to know that not writing is not an option for me. I am a writer, therefore I write.

I take the gift and the calling seriously enough to know that “to whom much is given, much is required” so I practice my craft, focus on ways I can improve, and seek out avenues for sharing my words.

“What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.” — Hans Urs von Balthasar

Or, as Jesus illustrated in the Parable of the Talents, don’t bury what God gives you. Make a good faith effort to develop it and He will be pleased.

Writers, I am curious if you have a writer’s creed or if you have some other ways that you remind yourself why you write?