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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Know Thyself



I spent a great deal of my life trying not to be my sister.  I thought if I did everything opposite of what she did I would be my own person. It took me a long time to realize that doing something just because she didn’t wasn’t  really an indication of who I was anymore than if I had been  trying to be just like her.  I had to learn to listen to myself, find out who I was, and be true to that. Regardless of what other people did and said.  Once I found myself, life was so much easier.  And much more enjoyable.

In many ways finding my writing voice is very similar to finding myself. I’ve had to listen to the stories deep inside, write what I felt and believed, not because it was trendy and not because it was the opposite of what was trendy. I couldn’t copy other authors style, voice, or genre. 

 If I write true to myself and the story, the story itself might ring true to readers. Even if not, even if I never get published I know who I am, and I know what I write.  

And that knowledge is a wonderful thing.

25 comments:

  1. Glad you've found yourself as a person and a writer. I think we all have our own writer voice and story ideas and it's important to be true to ourselves.

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  2. Love your thoughts.
    I have always felt that if you don't put yourself into whatever it is you do , then you might end up losing yourself.

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  3. This is a great point, excellently put. Although it's normal to be influenced and inspired by others, ultimately we have to follow our own hearts when writing.

    BTW David Walston, I'm hypnotised by your animated Dr Who avatar. :)

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  4. I've been doing so much digging lately-- all on this very topic of "know thyself". It's a journey pulling up a few discoveries I'm not quite sure yet what to do with. I feel like it's, as you said, a similar journey with our writing. I haven't quite got there yet. Still digging.

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  5. Yes! That's exactly what we have to do as people and writers. Go, Sara, Go!

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  6. That knowledge may be *the* most wonderful thing. Well done, Sara.

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  7. Wonderful wisdom, Sara. The literary world is constantly reminding authors to write their own story, in their own way. You seem to have actually embraced that truth. Bravo!

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  8. I love this! Its not always easy to remain true to ourselves but it is definitely vital.

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  9. That is an important revelation! I'm constantly reinventing myself or knowing myself as time and circumstances progress.

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  10. Yes, that knowledge is wonderful. Wise observations.

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  11. Great to discover this snippet of truth in your post. Thanks.

    Nas

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  12. Very wise, Sara, Some people spend a lifetime trying to "find" themselves.

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  13. Great post! If you don't believe in yourself and your writing, who will?

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  14. Throughout my acquaintance with your site, I have enjoyed your distinctive literary voice. Thank you for sharing something of how it was achieved.

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  15. Knowledge is, definitely, power....even more so, in this case. :)

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  16. Wise words, Sara! To thine own self be true!

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  17. That's an accurate description! I know when I first started writing ages ago, I used to emulate the voices of other writers. I think I even shared my Bukowski-style story from then on my blog a few months ago... :-)

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  18. For me, I have more than one voice in my head, and the challenge is figuring the one I should let do the talking.

    Now I'm curious to hear more about your sister. (You can always email me. =) )

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    1. Cynthia, I tried to email you today but can't find an address for you anywhere.

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  19. You've found your voice. You will get published.

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  20. Thanks everyone for your comments. I'm sorry that I haven't responded individually or returned visits. My computer crashed. It's back up and working temporarily so I hope to catch up soon.

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