by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
Ugh. I just need to get this out of my system. I’m very empathetic when it comes to people who have problems with their writing. I really don’t have a lot of room to talk since I’m an aspiring novelist
But the point of my consternation is people on Twitter who get so wrapped up in the obstacles of writing that they don’t actually…write. I totally get it, though, I talk about my writing to an absurd amount. But I like to think I’m not preening and it’s very clear that all my writing and talking about writing is more simply talking to myself to work out problems I may have with what I’m working on.
And, yet, the more I think about my irritation about about the Twitter writing community, the more I don’t care. Whatever. I have more important things to do, like, say, write, read and develop. Everyone’s writing journey is different and I have no right to tell anyone else anything about their journey.
I should just shut up and write.
Writing is very personal. And a lot of very successful writers have a conflicted relationship to writing. Not everyone is like me and 100% extroverted and write without even thinking about it. I tend to write like shedding skin. (Photography, meanwhile, is a very different issue, that actually has long-lasting value that causes me to come back to it.)
I think the big issue is a lot of writers are, by definition, very sensitive and any time you challenge someone’s personal, internal narrative about their writing and how difficult it is to write anything at all, the more likely you’re apt to make them very angry at you.
So, lulz.
Do whatever the fuck you want. Just at least TRY to write.
