The Writer’s Workshop:
Answering the Call of the Written Word
People say that you should write about what you love. ‘If you want to make money writing, then you have to find your niche and stick with it!’ This seems to be the most popular piece of advice for new writers. Easier said than done. If I had a dime for every time I read that, I’d never have to work again. I could just sit back and watch my bank account grow. Personally, I think this may be great advice for new bloggers but not necessarily for writers in general.
If you aren’t yet firmly established, then you’ve got to test the waters and see where you’re most comfortable. You’ve also got to learn how to harness the power of your gift and use it to your advantage. Your comfort level may not necessarily commiserate with your earning potential. I do a ton of ghostwriting and some of my best clients operate in industries I don’t necessarily enjoy writing about. These clients include firmly rooted financial websites, medical organizations, recipe and travel blogs and even attorneys and dental clients. Some of the work I’m most proud of is stuff I really struggled to write. There’s a great sense of accomplishment that comes along with finishing a ‘difficult’ piece and getting it just right.
Clients can give me a topic on almost any subject and I can craft a piece in the requested tone to suit their audience. I can usually even replicate their ‘voice.’ Then I sit back and think, “If people only knew this was written by some small-town mom sitting at home sipping coffee in her pj’s.” I wonder if they would interpret that financial advice differently or trust that doctor a little less. Probably so. Its just human nature. I don’t say that to brag. I say that because most experienced writers can hone their abilities in a way that allows them to write about almost anything.
The thing is that the very best pieces are the ones that take hold of the writer long before they’re put on paper. These pieces typically aren’t forced. They’re not requested or decided on in advance. In fact, they demand to be written. They start out as a tiny feeling balled up in the writer’s gut. It’s like an inkling that gives notice of its presence to the writer. It starts small and consumes everything in its path growing relentlessly until it threatens to bust out of you. When you finally learn to recognize that feeling and submit to its nature, then you know you’re a writer. You just know that you know.
Writing for money is a little different. Yes, it requires effort, but it’s not exactly work. Work is mowing the lawn or washing dishes. Work is showing up and punching a timeclock to get your hours or letting someone else determine your worth. I often tell my husband that writing for money is like performing a magic trick. I’m sitting at home basically conjuring money out of thin air. How many people get to say that? Thank you, Google for creating this new age career path. Yes, I show up daily for my clients. I do what it takes to deliver the goods so they can make their coin. That’s my role right now and I’m okay with it.
This other stuff, though — this is my release. Its like therapy that morphs into a personal pleasure I can share and revisit. I’ve got some pieces brewing. I can feel it deep down. My gut has put me on notice. There are thoughts and words and feelings bundled up inside my soul that cannot be relegated. Eventually, the elemental details will come into focus and I will submit. I’ll narrate my rendition of the voyage like I’m showing off a new toy. I won’t fight it and I won’t force the process. I look forward to being subjugated and letting go in a way that affects the very nature of my character. I will embrace the budding essence of creative thought with wild enthusiasm, but I must wait until that still small voice says the time is right. Until then, I’ll practice my magic tricks and just enjoy the ride.
