5 ways writers lie to themselves

The things we try to convince ourselves, and others:

1.    That we don’t think we are any good

Everyone has to have a certain amount of self belief in what they do. Writers particularly. From the moment you think ‘Hey do you know what I want to be?’ you have to believe that people are interested in, and will read what you have to put down on paper – even self indulgent stuff about what it’s like to be a writer...

Except, it’s pretty much expected that writers be crippled with self loathing and doubt. So you tell everyone, and yourself, that you are. And this really begs the question: would this be expected in any other profession? Would you want to see your advertising managers wringing their hands over their ability/parentage/schooling/work environment/lack of angst making them suck at what they do?

2.    That we are good at pretending to be modest

Ah writers, just one big paradoxical nightmare. Because while they are hiding their secret conceit, they are also busy convincing the guy in the pub that’s just asked them what they do for a living that they are in fact an undiscovered genius waiting to blossom.

3.    That we are writing

I’m reading, therefore I’m writing. I’m on Twitter, therefore I am writing. I’m going for a ‘head-clearing walk’, which means I am writing. Spoiler: Unless you yourself are actually putting words onto a page they should be on, you are not writing.

4.    That we have a plan

Sure, you might have a plan for your book/poem/next feature, but do you have a life plan? A ‘where do you see yourself in 5 years’ plan? Course not. The beauty/futility of writing, is you have to go wherever the writing takes you.

5.   That the world is stopping them writing

The only thing stopping a writer writing, is the writer stopping the writer from writing.  Right? Right. Write.