Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
How passionate are you about writing? Many of us will think about jotting something down when waking up. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same follow-through when it comes to being creative first thing in the morning. Lately, one of the first things I do after stretching is look up the daily prompt on WordPress. However, I was writing early in the morning long before I joined that particular community.
What Drives You to Write?
I’ve always been a creative person. From the early days of my childhood to now, I have always been at the keyboard in one form or another. Although the data entry jobs I had weren’t exactly the most creative avenues, being a freelancer today allows me a bit more breathing room. And, publishing my work on Wattpad allows me to go beyond clientele and share my imagination with the world.
My dream job is to do nothing but write all day long. While playing games would be nice, I rather enjoy being creative and writing something that many people may appreciate forever. Being a freelance ghostwriter gives me a bit of that reality, but not as much as I would like. Don’t get me wrong, I love writing for people. I would just like my name to be tied to something that resonates within someone.
Alternate Realities
One of the things I love most about creative writing is that it allows you to become anything you want. It gives you the ability to live another life other than the one you’re living now. For instance, you can be inspired by events in your life and how things would have been different if you made just one choice.
Everyone has something they would have liked to explore differently. Lost love, job opportunities, or even living like some fictional character in the Marvel Universe, writing gives you that power. While you can be as creative as you’d like and invent new people, places and things, don’t underestimate that which surrounds you.
Take me, for example. Regarding me ex, do I write a romance novel based on how things could have worked if everything was ideal in that relationship? Or do I write a horror novel based on how things would have progressed if I wouldn’t have left her behind? I suppose my current wife would have some input on what road I should take.
Think of it like an alternate reality. Change the names of people, but live in that perfect moment you create. For me, it’s almost like a vacation.
This is what drives me after waking up in the morning. What kind of a life can I live today? It’s almost as good as a Holodeck in Star Trek. The only difference is your using your imagination instead of photons and force fields.
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Fortune and Glory
I know a lot of people who get disappointed when their writing doesn’t pay off. Many of them expect instant success and then stop working at it after one or two attempts. You can’t center yourself around fortune and glory if you’re a writer. It’s not about winning a popularity contest or being featured in “People” magazine. It’s about you and the drive to entertain, or in my case, educate the masses.
Would I like to be a household name? Absolutely. I think it would be pretty cool if my kids can go to school and brag about their dad, the author. However, it’s not the sole purpose of exploring what it means to me to be a writer.
The moment you start focusing too much fortune and glory, the more difficult success will become. You’ll start to try too hard to be popular and begin making mental mistakes. You may even start to feel depressed if no one enjoys your work. And being depressed is never a good thing.
Success will come in its own time. Until then, focus on honing your skills and delivering the best material you can. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be a success at Textbroker. Now, I am level 4 and have an awesome regular client who pays me well. I belong to several teams that have loads of work, and I can afford to live.
My stories on Wattpad aren’t very popular. Does that mean I give up and wallow in self-pity? Absolutely not. Instead, I’ll keep writing and sharing my work because I love to write. If people think my work is good enough, then I might gain some popularity. Until then, I will merely focus on enjoying the experience. Besides, it easily pads a resume.
Responsibilities After Waking Up
Most of us have some kind of responsibilities we still have to do when waking up in the morning. I have to drive the kids to the bus stop after exercising. But, it’s my computer that I come back to almost immediately afterwards. Not to play a game or watch Netflix, but to write. I try to get some blogging in before I begin my day as a ghostwriter…which, coincidentally, I have several jobs that need completed today.
Don’t let your responsibilities prevent you from writing, if that is what you want to do. However, don’t shirk your responsibilities either. Although you may want to get started right away after waking up, some things simply cannot be avoided. It’s all about scheduling your time and getting into a groove that lets you do everything you want and need throughout the day.
It’s my responsibilities that help me focus on writing. If I didn’t get certain things done throughout the day, I wouldn’t be able to blog or write my novel. Without addressing clients in the morning, I couldn’t afford Internet, food or water. Sure, I would love to do nothing but blog on my own sites and write my stories all day long. Unfortunately, none of that pays the bills.
Waking Up to a New Day
So the next time you get out of bed in the morning, pause and determine what drives you at that moment. It’s usually the thing that matters most to you in life. Some people say that if writing is the first thing you think about in the morning, then that is what you should do. I agree. That is, after I take care of the household and make sure everything is done before I start.
You don’t have to slog through your day confused about your lot in life. It’s really quite simple what it is your supposed to do if you don’t analyze everything to death. Discover for yourself whether writing is something you truly want to do, or is it a passing fancy that you really don’t have long-term interest in.
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