Writing is difficult and it is difficult for all authors in different ways. Consistency is where it hits me. I set out over five years to launch my writing career and have found myself struggling to finish everything I start. It’s not for a lack of killer ideas or the ability to write stories interesting enough for readers to buy into. For me, it’s the fact I don’t apply myself diligently enough to my craft.
Realizing this, I encapsulated my struggle into two entities waging war for my time: The Dreamer and The Creator. The Dreamer awoke within me the day I was born. It pushes me to think up new ideas and stories that fuel my creative process. While it is the source of my inner creativity, it has no power to accomplish anything, which is why I’ve had to build up The Creator. The Creator gets results. It works off of what The Dreamer gives it and transforms it into words on a page.
I need both these entities to achieve my life goals, but lately, I’ve let The Dreamer consume all my time. It whispers to me that it’s OK to miss my weekly writing quota due to whatever excuse seems to pop up at the last minute. It also assures me that everything is going to turn out exactly how I want as long as I have ambition left inside me. This is why The Dreamer is the enemy of progress. When I indulge it, I drift further and further behind until I find myself five years later with five less books that should be out there entertaining readers.
The Creator demands that I work hard to ensure what The Dreamer promised will actually come true. It makes me sit down and write the words that spin a modern tale. I’ve always had a problem allowing The Creator to flourish. I dream too much and let myself get caught up in the moment of whatever fun I may be having. The Creator languishes during these long periods and agitates me until I find myself sitting in my creative office typing.
I know I’m not along in this struggle. Every successful author always gives a common thread of advice: write and keep writing. I’ve taken this to mean that I need to follow The Creator after The Dreamer has given it what it need to produce. Even as I type this post, I can feel the need to let The Creator do its work and to shut off The Dreamer. I’ve amassed a huge collection of stories that are locked up inside my head. No one will share in these experiences unless I force The Dreamer back in it’s Pandora’s box to rest while me and The Creator get to work.
I’ve not yet had anything close to success with my writing career. It’s all been a slow crawl to madness because I would rather sit around and dream about what I should achieve instead of getting out there and achieving it. I allow my inconsistency to rule me and because of it, the ebook series I started five years ago lies incomplete.
I’ve asked myself, Where do I go from here? The answer I’ve come up with is to follow the demands of The Creator. Sure, it’s difficult, but nothing about writing is easy. It’s competitive, time consuming, and an aging form of entertainment in our digital society. However, I must continue onward because my childhood dream of being an author has not yet been realized.
If you’re out there in a similar circumstance, whether it be writing or another dream you are working on, I challenge you like I’m challenging myself. Follow your inner Creator because it knows the paths to success. You’ll always need your inner Dreamer to partner with it, but don’t let it consume your time or you’ll end up just as frustrated as I am with myself.
We’re all products of our environments and choices. Make a conscious choice to follow The Creator. It’s tough and exhausting, but the end will be worth it when you summit your challenges and cry out to the world about your victory. This post isn’t meant to inspire, it’s meant to encourage you to work hard. Nothing gets done without work. A creative outlet like writing may be fun work, but it still requires consistency and drive, both of which The Creator fuels.
Even if you are just as far behind as me, you’re not going to be any further behind if you start working today. The Creator is waiting to take you to new heights. Allow The Dreamer to rest while The Creator propels you forward!
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