Writing about writing is a meta topic that numerous folks have written about before me (and will continue writing about after me…). Despite the popularity and addiction of short-form video content, the first draft often still begins with thoughts finding their place on a piece of (physical or digital) paper.
I’ve been thinking about legacy recently and the artifacts, in our control, that can leave an impression on this world. What is unique about reading someone’s mind through the medium of the written word is that you can hear their voice, too.
When we allow AI to dull our own voice over its own rendition of a voice, we steal the right of future generations to discover a slice of history that is personal and real. Whether your intention to develop your own voice in your writing is for immediate results or long-term treasure, I cannot recommend training this “writing” muscle enough. I accept that the empty page is rarely a comfortable sight when you first start a draft; each word feels ill-placed and void of meaning or purpose. Instead of dwelling on the challenges, a writer has to be stubborn.
You have to provide goodwill to those ill-placed, purposeless words to slowly become significant and yours. This slow and tedious process is human and cannot be relied upon tools designed for productivity and efficiency to replicate.
If you’re still feeling uninspired, a precursor to writing with intention must be reading others’ writings. It does not matter whether that is fiction or non-fiction, for education or leisure purposes, or belongs to a certain era. It is never too late to start. I vividly remember my high school English teacher making one of my ordinary homework submissions special by leaving an extraordinary note; she encouraged me to consider becoming an author when I grew up.
While I haven’t achieved this yet, who is to say you would even be hearing my voice right now without that dream to dream about?
Until next time,
Riz