How to Be the Writer You’ve Always Wanted to Be
Figure out why you write then reorganize your to-do list.
Before Covid, we were so used to having somewhere to go. Someone to see. Something to do. Always busy.
And now?
It’s strange that even though we’re forced to stay home more often during Covid, and we feel like we should have more time to write, we don’t.
Well, this crisis has given us an incredible opportunity. It’s given you an opportunity — to be the writer you’ve always wanted to be.
While others may be drowning in what ifs, whys, and oh nos, you can be that squirrel focused on one crucial task: rounding up the nuts for Winter. Becoming the writer you’ve always wanted to be.
Winter for you can be the equivalent of life after Covid. You can come out of this with an unstoppable momentum that will bring drive and purpose into each day.
I’d like to offer you 2 ways to do this that have worked for me as writer on Medium for 3 years and a copywriter for more than 12 years:
- Figure out what writing means to you
- Re-organize your to-do list
Hone in on your purpose
This is the perfect opportunity for change. To plan for our future. To review and prioritize. To start new habits and get help to combat old, unwanted habits.
It’s a great time to worry less about what people think and what other people do. To cut down our to-do lists: for work, for home, for life. So we can focus on what matters. Writing.
But figuring out our true purpose seems like a mammoth task.
How the f*ck are we supposed to do that?
Aussie Palliative Care Nurse, Bronnie Ware, gives us a few ideas. In her interviews with the dying, she found a few things people most wished they’d done in life was:
- Pursue their dreams
- Made the choice to be happy
- Had the courage to live truthfully
Do these ring true for you?
When we begin to figure out our writing purpose, it gets easier to filter out the busyness.
What a meaningful writing life could look like
- Having a captive audience who treasures your experiences and insights.
- Channeling precious energy into fewer more meaningful articles rather than a tonne of crap.
- Dedicating your efforts consistently to publications and initiatives you care about.
- Working with editors who give you feedback, opportunities, and access to their expertise.
- Readers who want to learn more from you on and off Medium.
When you decide that pursuing your dream to be a writer is what makes you truly happy, it’s easier to:
- Write on a Friday night while your family is watching a movie and you’re determined to meet your weekly writing quota (perhaps you’ll play board games with them tomorrow night).
- Swap out time fluffing around on social media or bludging on the couch — to write for a new publication that helps you reach a new audience.
- Schedule time to connect with other writers consistently.
- Invest in writing courses because you're serious about improving your skills and want to learn from writers you like.
- Think of writing as work you love rather than a hobby — if that’s what will help you write more often.
- Flick the remote away from mainstream news aimed at infecting us with negativity: brainwash yourself with podcasts, books, and videos that help you build a strong mental mindset and reminds you of your purpose daily.
Whatever you can think of that will bring meaning to your writing life, you can have if you really want it.
You can create this life: with purpose and a selective to-do list. We’ll cover that next.
What’s on your to-do list and why is it there?
Many of us think being productive is about jam-packing as much as we can into our days.
We make the mistake of reacting to urgency as if it’s important. When really, what’s important is rarely urgent. And what’s urgent, is rarely important. Tim Ferriss reminds us of this in his 4-Hour Work Week approach.
He tells us to get used to letting little ‘bad’ things happen: not getting the washing done one week, turning down a client, or spending an occasional Sunday afternoon writing instead of getting dinners organized for the week.
Post-Covid, we may see things in a different light
- Learning how to grow food and cook are essential skills.
- Being able to visit our aging parents regularly is more a gift than a chore.
- Relying on one source of income isn’t ideal.
The world needs writers now more than ever.
And Covid has highlighted what we’ve neglected.
Our to-do lists often don’t reflect what’s important. Like driving around aimlessly with no real destination. Wasted time.
Right now, we’ve got an incredible opportunity to make sure our GPS is set to our ultimate destination. We’ve got to slash what’s irrelevant, meaningless, and unimportant if we want to level up as writers.
Summary
Isolation can help each of us learn the wisdom of writing with purpose. Not plundering our time on what we think is urgent — but isn’t important.
What do you want people to remember? What do you want your life to mean?
Hone in on your purpose. Then keep your to-do list in check.
Your life is too important to waste on meaningless to-dos.
Cynthia Marinakos is an Aussie copywriter who loves rock climbing high ceilings and hiking amongst ferns. She’s on a mission to help readers write with joy and publish more often on Medium. Grab your 10 Proven Ways to Attract More Medium Readers.
