How to be Inspired
Recently, someone asked for help on how to get inspired to write. Once I opened the dialogue, I soon found that they didn’t really want advice, but rather, they wanted someone to stroke their ego and tell them their words are worth reading. This was a “fishing for complements” type of trap. I gave the bait a little nibble but didn’t bite, because I know that this opens a much larger (and much nastier) can of words than I wanted to handle.
I’ve seen this situation a lot lately where writers beg people into giving them praise. Sure, I like to be told I did a good job or didn’t completely mess something up. I don’t know about you or how you’ve been raised, but if I have to ask someone for a complement, I don’t really believe it to be real. Maybe it’s hidden deep, deep down in your subconscious, but you know the truth. Some people like to pretend. They do it all the time: pretend to be successful, pretend to be important, pretend to be happy. But for me, I cannot pull the wool over my own eyes. Believe me, I’ve tried. Even when I do get a good review or some other form of praise, I have this sudden urgency too look behind the curtains for a camera–as if this is some sick prank show, setup to toy with my emotions. And, how long does that feeling last before you’re searching for the next one like an addict?
In the incident mentioned above, I simply walked away and didn’t want to start down that rabbit hole. It is dark and lonely down here and I see nothing furry or cute. I think there are a lot of people out there that are jumping on the self-publishing bandwagon for the wrong reasons. They’re doing it for praise and/or money. The truth is that there is little to no money, or praise. It’s just a rat race of cannibals where eating each other is the only way to survive.
I lose thousands of dollars on every book I print. There’s cover art, editing, title setup fees, corrections, marketing, exposure, giveaways, narrations, and the list goes on and on. For example, if I spend $60 on a promotion for my book to sell for $0.99, on a good day I might make back $6.00. That means, I am paying $10 for every $1 earned. And as for praise, just lookup any author on Goodreads. Look at the vile words strangers can put together to ruin a writer’s day after spouting, “I was giving this book for free in exchange for a honest review.” Honestly doesn’t mean cruelty, but that is a whole other issue.
So, this brings me back full circle. If you, like my friend, are having trouble getting inspired to write, here is my advice. As a writer, you’re always going to fear that no one is ever going to give a shit. It’s the nature of the beast. No amount of kindness is going to make you want to write any more or any less. So, let’s not pretend. You have to write for you, not them. Just vomit as many words as you can and worry about cleaning up the mess later. I write as a form of therapy–to trap the demons in a paper jail guarded by letters. You can’t force it or trick yourself into doing it. If you don’t feel it, do something you do feel like doing. It will come. It always does. And when inspiration bites you on the leg like a starving mosquito, give in to the itch. Don’t stop scratching until the wound is raw and your hands are bloody with words.
No one will ever love a piece the way a writer does, because they will never know the pain that brought it out of you.
