That stock image of the writer made me snort so hard. The fedora? Ouch 😭😭
This really was a amazing essay, and was honestly a great thing for me to read before sitting down to write for the day. I find that I understand that the shroud of mysticism surrounding the Writer-with-a-capital-W is just that... mystical, fantastical, unbelievably over-exaggerated, but sometimes I find myself slipping, still believing in it. I’ve noticed whenever that happens I start doubting my own work and then that eventually leads to writers block. It’s when I remind myself that writing is a craft accessible to all, including me, that I’m able to write without getting too in my head about being perfect and ocean-level deep with everything I put down.
Ah, this was such a thought provoking read. I’m very excited to see what you post next!
Yes 100% it still gets me too - the Writer aesthetic/mystique is hammered into any little kid who likes writing so it’s hard not to internalize it after hearing it for years and years. Like for so long I wanted to be a Writer just for the vibes before I even had anything to say. But at this point I’m like okay we all gotta get over ourselves lol and just communicate as best we can and move on.
And omg I KNOW the stock image is atrocious I laughed so hard when I saw it 😂
"If we articulate ourselves clearly enough for a reader to absorb some semblance of what we set out to express, we have written well. If we kept them engaged until the end, what a marvel. To communicate even something close to what you’re trying to say is both a full miracle and the basis for survival itself."
Loved this. Discovered your Substack today. What a gem
This really hits on something I've been thinking for a while, but haven't quite been able to articulate. I mean, the internet forces each of us to develop our own personas and adopt certain aesthetics. We're aware of that, sure, but it's also impossible to know just how deeply our self-perceptions and identities have been shaped by the internet. I think that your phrasing of "capital-w-writer," is such a great way to put it. We all long to feel unique, and legitimate, and I think in the pursuit of that we can too often (maybe unknowingly) reach for different aesthetics or identities. But, it is almost like playing dress up, in a sense. It's not real. We're trying to project an image out into the world that doesn't really exist. Worse, we're trying to convince ourselves that we are someone who is little more than a projection of our inner desires.
Yes 100% sometimes self-awareness is not enough to reject the aesthetic pursuit. To actively fight against it I literally am always asking myself "WHAT IS YOUR POINT" when I feel like I'm writing *around* something rather than just saying it outright - and then sometimes it reminds me that I don't even know what my point is yet lol. To go forward from there is where actual writing begins.
That stock image of the writer made me snort so hard. The fedora? Ouch 😭😭
This really was a amazing essay, and was honestly a great thing for me to read before sitting down to write for the day. I find that I understand that the shroud of mysticism surrounding the Writer-with-a-capital-W is just that... mystical, fantastical, unbelievably over-exaggerated, but sometimes I find myself slipping, still believing in it. I’ve noticed whenever that happens I start doubting my own work and then that eventually leads to writers block. It’s when I remind myself that writing is a craft accessible to all, including me, that I’m able to write without getting too in my head about being perfect and ocean-level deep with everything I put down.
Ah, this was such a thought provoking read. I’m very excited to see what you post next!
Thank you for reading!!
Yes 100% it still gets me too - the Writer aesthetic/mystique is hammered into any little kid who likes writing so it’s hard not to internalize it after hearing it for years and years. Like for so long I wanted to be a Writer just for the vibes before I even had anything to say. But at this point I’m like okay we all gotta get over ourselves lol and just communicate as best we can and move on.
And omg I KNOW the stock image is atrocious I laughed so hard when I saw it 😂
"If we articulate ourselves clearly enough for a reader to absorb some semblance of what we set out to express, we have written well. If we kept them engaged until the end, what a marvel. To communicate even something close to what you’re trying to say is both a full miracle and the basis for survival itself."
Loved this. Discovered your Substack today. What a gem
"pour consciousness onto the metaphorical page" mmhhh
You. Are. Brilliant.
This really hits on something I've been thinking for a while, but haven't quite been able to articulate. I mean, the internet forces each of us to develop our own personas and adopt certain aesthetics. We're aware of that, sure, but it's also impossible to know just how deeply our self-perceptions and identities have been shaped by the internet. I think that your phrasing of "capital-w-writer," is such a great way to put it. We all long to feel unique, and legitimate, and I think in the pursuit of that we can too often (maybe unknowingly) reach for different aesthetics or identities. But, it is almost like playing dress up, in a sense. It's not real. We're trying to project an image out into the world that doesn't really exist. Worse, we're trying to convince ourselves that we are someone who is little more than a projection of our inner desires.
Great essay, loved reading!
Yes 100% sometimes self-awareness is not enough to reject the aesthetic pursuit. To actively fight against it I literally am always asking myself "WHAT IS YOUR POINT" when I feel like I'm writing *around* something rather than just saying it outright - and then sometimes it reminds me that I don't even know what my point is yet lol. To go forward from there is where actual writing begins.
Thank you so much for reading <3