Talk To Your Mirror

I write a lot on my blog about believing in yourself, having self-respect, and looking at your writing journey with a positive attitude. One of my purposes here is to encourage writers and after years of being in the writing world, I know that all three of these things are necessary to succeed and that we can change by facing each day as a new day.

I am also aware that it's pretty easy to tell someone to work on the three things mentioned above but a lot harder to achieve them. It doesn't happen in an hour, or a day, or even a week. Change can be achingly slow. It's why we try to make changes and then give up when we don't see results as soon as we'd like. Kind of like those New Year's resolutions we'll make next month.

Many years ago, in the very early days of my writing journey, I attended a writers conference in Kansas City. The keynote speaker at the luncheon spoke to us about being brave enough to call yourself a writer. Too many writers, she told us, don't think they can claim the name until they are published. "Not true!" she bellowed, startling many in the room. She said that anyone who writes a story, an essay, a poem, an article can and should call themself a writer. She recommended that we practice saying I am a writer. while looking in the mirror every day.

Think about that. If you utter those four words to your image in the mirror day after day, you might suddenly begin to believe it. You could even add a word and tell yourself I am a good writer. What a good and simple way to learn to believe in yourself as a writer. When someone asks what you do, tell them whatever your job is and then say I'm also a writer. The more you say it, the easier it will become.

If you believe in your writing ability, self-respect should follow. It's the natural flow. The next station your train will stop is a place where you acquire a positive attitude about your writing journey. If you put your own writing down time and again, you'll end up wallowing in a pool of negativity. Try the mirror exercise and maybe your attitude will be positive more often than not.

Remember my friend who pedaled her essay to seventeen editors before one accepted it? She did it because she believed in her ability to write a good essay, thereby believing in herself. She respected herself as a writer and she carried a positive attitude with her. Maybe for her, it was a natural thing. How fortunate are those people who have that natural self-esteem. Lots of others have to work hard at achieving it.

Maybe a teacher or a parent, a friend or a sibling criticized your writing or your desire to be a writer. Experiences like that push you down pretty fast and it's not easy to change. The best part is that you can do it with time, with effort and maybe by looking into the mirror and telling yourself I am a writer. I am a good writer.