Just Write for You

by John Köehler
author of 5 books

Dear Fellow Writers,

In the hustle and bustle of trying to get your book published or writing a bestseller or pleasing an editor or, or, or…..pleasing the world, it is easy to forget the first tenant of writing: please yourself first. Now I know that there will be many who disagree with me about that. Some will call it self-centered and egotistical and that we need to get out of our own space and into the space of the reader. If we can please the reader than we win. Right?

Well, maybe. But what is the point to writing if you don’t first please yourself?

Writers are artists, same as musicians, painters, sculptors, photographers, illustrators, web designers, fashion designers, and so on. Unless you are fulfilling a commercial contract to write, you are doing it because you must do it. You have an inner desire and a NEED to release the words from your soul, from your keyboard, and your life. Writing can be both an antagonistic pain in the booty and an incredibly self-fulfilling release of tranquility and joy.

A fine artist does not apply paint to canvas to please the art critic or the buyer. They do it because they are called to do it. They must do it. So you the writer must fulfill your own destiny of words and apply them onto the canvas of your manuscript. You do not need permission to do this. You do not need permission to write down your words purely to please yourself. No one can tell you not to do it, though they will.

They may tell you not to write because you’re not professional enough. They may try to talk you out of it because you stand little chance of getting published. They may throw out truths that are daunting and want to crush you into submission and squeeze off the flow of your words. Throw them out, plug your ears, shut the door. They have no right to tell you what you can create. You have the right to paint. You have the right to make music. And you have the right to write. You are an artist.

If after you are done you feel that what you have written is worth of sharing, then share it. Let no one hinder you. Break down the walls. Do it right. Do it well. Get great editing. Craft a great cover and layout. Make it great. Remember that you are representing other writers and if you don’t do your best to get it right you pull us all down. Get it right!

But before then, just write to please yourself. Be happy. Write. You have the right. To write.