Story of my ‘writer’ identity
The first article I wrote as an assignment for Write of Passage was: Why Am I Starting To Write Online?
In its draft, I received feedback that changed how I view myself. I was hedging by saying that I’m a beginner or not a good at writing. Robbie Crabtree told me not to do that, and to come out and say, “I am a writer.”
I had never considered myself to be a writer before. I didn’t write articles or books. I wasn’t publishing anything publicly. But the more I thought I about it, I realized that I am technically one who writes.
- Every morning when I wake up, I write down my dream in a journal.
- I type up long paragraphs for philosophical discussions with friends.
- I had been doing my own version of Morning Pages with a minimum of 100 words.
- I’ve been journaling special events in my life.
I am a writer, even though not by profession.
This shift in identity made it easier to write. When I told myself I’m not a writer, it was easier for impostor syndrome to set in. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
But each time I publish a piece of content, it builds confidence. I’ve been writing these shipits everyday for over 4 months now. Even if I don’t write a Twitter threads, blog articles, or a weekly email newsletter, I can now say I consistently output writing.
Made with Bullet