I don't think my imposter syndrome is ever louder than when I'm trying to say out loud that I'm a writer and photographer. I don't actually think I've ever claimed that identity in the real world - there's always something 'safer' to label ourselves, isn't there (teacher, partner, sister, etc)? When I started writing here (last week - eeek!) I changed my Instagram bio to include those words and it started to feel a bit more...real...just in that simple act of claiming that role, that identity. Always good to know we're not alone with these things - glad to have found your newsletter and looking forward to reading more! ❤️
Ahh Charlene! I TOTALLY get this and I’ve dropped my creative producer title recently in a few places because the work I’m showing up to do doesn’t fit that so much. I love calling myself a writer on Instagram and celebrating my perfectly perfect imperfection in it all. Glad it resonates and looking forward to following along with your Shetland adventure! 🐎✨ 🏔✨
Yes - exactly! Doing things perfectly imperfectly is really the only way to get anything done, isn't it?! Right there with you just trying to show up and keep making things. Thanks so much - hope you enjoy Haver and Sparrow! 💖
Yes exactly that but I didn’t know insta was for that at the time as I only followed people I knew. I’ve heard people talk about it though and I think yes definitely it’s that here and you don’t feel that weird vulnerability hang over as everyone is so lovely. ✨🙏🌸
I know what you mean - some people built up a large community on there are that stage (I didnt at all!) but it was just more fun and experimental - fewer bots and trolls and pressure. This space feels a bit like that for writing, I think, full of discoveries and beautiful things people are making. I think the longform content leads to a lot of great discussion too which can get a bit drowned out these days in other spaces. Know exactly what you mean about the vulnerability - I'm excited to share instead of terrified! Haha x
I love this so much. You absolutely are a beautiful writer. I'm definitely in the space of trying to step into my own creativity and own it more, so I relate to this deeply. Thank you for sharing your heart!
I’m really enjoying how writing is showing where my use of language works against me when I’m not writing, where it bars me from my writing space, and then learning what kind of spaces, community and attitude cultivate a change in language- being able to own that I’m my own protagonist AND that I want to take up space!
I was looking for an inroad, a way of beginning to write on substack and there was this ‘but, I’m not a writer’ narrative where I actually want to talk about writing, language and voice, in terms of selfhood and living in a creative way.
I never thought about articles being like conversations, before, or maybe there was just a sense that I didn’t know how to join in with the conversation.
Maybe a huge part of that really is finding a platform that fully supports this kind of interaction?
Also, if there were no so-called obstacles in the road for me, I don’t think I’d be approaching writing in quite the same way; I don’t think it would be serving the ‘me’ know is ready to take up space.
Thanks again for your generous and thought-provoking content, Claire.
I love your writing Claire. I'll have you calling yourself an artist next if you don't watch out. 😘
Such a lovely story about the bookstore too. We always imagine our art is rejected, but it's so often just been overlooked. Building that muscle of checking in and taking up space. I am working up courage to ask some local shops to stock my book this year.
It IS a muscle for sure! Yes I’ve taken Creative Producer out of my bios because I haven’t done that work since before the pandemic so breathing into new space. ✨✨📖✨✨
Definitely - I feel like she’s so generous with her teaching too. I downloaded some free resources to accompany the book we have called ‘The way of the fearless writer’ and there was some lovely stuff in there.
Yes and actually Beth Kempton has some great ways in to “types” of writing which I’d not considered I was already doing... the daily journalling, the flow state, the edits, the honing... This post has been bubbling in me for a few months and I wrote it in 25mins because that’s the only time slot I had to write it. Creativity likes structure and gentle pressure sometimes I think! ✨✨💜✨✨🪄
Perhaps in depth psychology they would say it takes our feminine side to create but our masculine side to exhibit our work.
It’s really a question of ‘How bad do you want to know the answer to the question “Am I a writer?”’ When push comes to shove and you need start pestering people to put your book in their shop, is it easier to let it slide? To just send one email or make one phone call. That way you’ll never know if your work was good enough but that’s a lot safer than actually finding out.
Obviously growth is in the finding out and all the discomfort that brings. Lean into that. Lean into the squirm.
Also, I think it’s a mistake to think that you’re not a sophisticated writer.
It’s an interesting question though. “What makes writing sophisticated?”
Is it sophisticated to write plainly? To take complicated human psychology and communicate it in a way that people feel your story is also part of their story.
It’s sophisticated to write on different levels and I think you do that intuitively if not intentionally.
But maybe we start with the question...”Do we want to be sophisticated writers and why js that?”
Well one only has to think of our mutual friend who was broke all his twenties, and well into his thirties, who now ghost writes for the biggest names in pop music. I think a large part of his success was the ability to keep going year after year, and knock back after knock back.
Hugely successful yes, but does that equal sophistication? There’s certainly a skill that’s been honed over time and hours of practice.
That’s writing with an audience in mind. Could it be a richer experience to write solely for oneself?
Marcus Aurelius had no intention of anyone seeing his writing and almost 2000yrs later his work is very widely read - in fact for a lot of men (it’s mostly young men) this may be the only book of philosophy or spirituality they brush up against.
John Moriarty was asked by his publisher to make his writing less complicated so that his work could be read by a wider audience and he refused. He’s virtually unknown today but his work is timeless and I don’t think he’d want that any other way. He was interested in the energetics of a story and how important stories were to shield people in times of need.
Love that you’re owning you’re a writer. There isn’t a panel of experts somewhere ruling on who gets to call themselves a writer or an artist or a maker or a creative... if you do these things claim that title!
Haha I got the image of the X factor or Britain’s got talent panel in my mind then! You are so right and to step into our inner creative whether we share it with the world or not is SUCH a beautiful thing. Hope you are having a lovely weekend. ✨🪄✨🌸
Claire, what a wonderful post! Really interesting to learn about your writing background - and I love that you're very much a writer.
I'm going to have to pop back and read more comments on this post as they come in, because I am absolutely certain, having read Janelle's comment, that this post is going to be providing Substack's very own 'I am Spartacus' moment.
Hehe YES!! And Thank you I just feel like this space is so so generous for that and maybe even for the first time I have a space online that meets my need. ✨
I am a writer! You are a writer yes it’s like a nudge and affirmation and permission slip all in one to better understand the thoughts that told me I wasn’t.:.quite...yet... ✨💜🪄
Ah I hear you... sometimes I do feel like my writing is as much “for” me and maybe even a co creation of sorts. I’m glad you own your writer title Vanessa!! So you should. I don’t know anything of your writing yet I’ll pop over and take a look. 📖✨✍️
“Take up space, write, read, put it down, write some more.
Take up space some more.”
- Exactly what I needed to read! Thank you!!
You write. You are a REAL writer. You share your thoughts, feelings, ideas. You are a writer. 💕
Thank you and yes I do feel I am too and I’m grateful for this modern life making digital space for us all. ✨💫
It took literally a year of journaling in 2021 to call myself a creator. Sometimes the mindset we have about ourselves is the hardest battle.
I don't think my imposter syndrome is ever louder than when I'm trying to say out loud that I'm a writer and photographer. I don't actually think I've ever claimed that identity in the real world - there's always something 'safer' to label ourselves, isn't there (teacher, partner, sister, etc)? When I started writing here (last week - eeek!) I changed my Instagram bio to include those words and it started to feel a bit more...real...just in that simple act of claiming that role, that identity. Always good to know we're not alone with these things - glad to have found your newsletter and looking forward to reading more! ❤️
Ahh Charlene! I TOTALLY get this and I’ve dropped my creative producer title recently in a few places because the work I’m showing up to do doesn’t fit that so much. I love calling myself a writer on Instagram and celebrating my perfectly perfect imperfection in it all. Glad it resonates and looking forward to following along with your Shetland adventure! 🐎✨ 🏔✨
Yes - exactly! Doing things perfectly imperfectly is really the only way to get anything done, isn't it?! Right there with you just trying to show up and keep making things. Thanks so much - hope you enjoy Haver and Sparrow! 💖
I’m loving being in such a “new” and experimental space and using my creativity to throw out the rule book. 📕✨✍️
Me too! It feels like the early days of Instagram but sort of 'safer', if that makes sense? 💕💫
Yes exactly that but I didn’t know insta was for that at the time as I only followed people I knew. I’ve heard people talk about it though and I think yes definitely it’s that here and you don’t feel that weird vulnerability hang over as everyone is so lovely. ✨🙏🌸
I know what you mean - some people built up a large community on there are that stage (I didnt at all!) but it was just more fun and experimental - fewer bots and trolls and pressure. This space feels a bit like that for writing, I think, full of discoveries and beautiful things people are making. I think the longform content leads to a lot of great discussion too which can get a bit drowned out these days in other spaces. Know exactly what you mean about the vulnerability - I'm excited to share instead of terrified! Haha x
I love this so much. You absolutely are a beautiful writer. I'm definitely in the space of trying to step into my own creativity and own it more, so I relate to this deeply. Thank you for sharing your heart!
Aw Hunter you’re so so welcome! Looking forward to the ripples ✨🪄 ✍️
Thank you Claire
I’m really enjoying how writing is showing where my use of language works against me when I’m not writing, where it bars me from my writing space, and then learning what kind of spaces, community and attitude cultivate a change in language- being able to own that I’m my own protagonist AND that I want to take up space!
I was looking for an inroad, a way of beginning to write on substack and there was this ‘but, I’m not a writer’ narrative where I actually want to talk about writing, language and voice, in terms of selfhood and living in a creative way.
I never thought about articles being like conversations, before, or maybe there was just a sense that I didn’t know how to join in with the conversation.
Maybe a huge part of that really is finding a platform that fully supports this kind of interaction?
Also, if there were no so-called obstacles in the road for me, I don’t think I’d be approaching writing in quite the same way; I don’t think it would be serving the ‘me’ know is ready to take up space.
Thanks again for your generous and thought-provoking content, Claire.
In appreciation.
Here’s to selfhood! I love this and you’re so so welcome. ✨💜
I love your writing Claire. I'll have you calling yourself an artist next if you don't watch out. 😘
Such a lovely story about the bookstore too. We always imagine our art is rejected, but it's so often just been overlooked. Building that muscle of checking in and taking up space. I am working up courage to ask some local shops to stock my book this year.
It IS a muscle for sure! Yes I’ve taken Creative Producer out of my bios because I haven’t done that work since before the pandemic so breathing into new space. ✨✨📖✨✨
Sarah, it’s done an artist she is!! 🧡
You guys! ✨❤️✨
‘Take up space, write, read, put it down, write some more.
Take up space some more.’
Love this post Claire! 🥰
Aw thanks Mackenzie! ✍️ Sunday is a good day for all these things I think.
Needless to say I am now off to read a bit of Beth, rather than going to sleep!! 🙃
I've discovered Beth recently. She's such a balm for the soul and a great support for rewriting those pesky inner stories
Definitely - I feel like she’s so generous with her teaching too. I downloaded some free resources to accompany the book we have called ‘The way of the fearless writer’ and there was some lovely stuff in there.
I think creativity needs both - time for flow & suggestion along with times of a framework (timeframe, assessment due, giving a talk etc)
Yes and sometimes I feel like I am gathering with a basket both in embodied observation and being/ feeling ready to write the words. ✍️
Less analysis, more writing in whatever form it takes. I think this sounds like a perfect suggestion 🧡
Yes and actually Beth Kempton has some great ways in to “types” of writing which I’d not considered I was already doing... the daily journalling, the flow state, the edits, the honing... This post has been bubbling in me for a few months and I wrote it in 25mins because that’s the only time slot I had to write it. Creativity likes structure and gentle pressure sometimes I think! ✨✨💜✨✨🪄
This makes for cathartic reading.
Perhaps in depth psychology they would say it takes our feminine side to create but our masculine side to exhibit our work.
It’s really a question of ‘How bad do you want to know the answer to the question “Am I a writer?”’ When push comes to shove and you need start pestering people to put your book in their shop, is it easier to let it slide? To just send one email or make one phone call. That way you’ll never know if your work was good enough but that’s a lot safer than actually finding out.
Obviously growth is in the finding out and all the discomfort that brings. Lean into that. Lean into the squirm.
Also, I think it’s a mistake to think that you’re not a sophisticated writer.
It’s an interesting question though. “What makes writing sophisticated?”
Is it sophisticated to write plainly? To take complicated human psychology and communicate it in a way that people feel your story is also part of their story.
It’s sophisticated to write on different levels and I think you do that intuitively if not intentionally.
But maybe we start with the question...”Do we want to be sophisticated writers and why js that?”
Aren’t they the ones getting published?! Sophistication = practise = talent = book deals? Is it that?! Genuine question!
Well one only has to think of our mutual friend who was broke all his twenties, and well into his thirties, who now ghost writes for the biggest names in pop music. I think a large part of his success was the ability to keep going year after year, and knock back after knock back.
Hugely successful yes, but does that equal sophistication? There’s certainly a skill that’s been honed over time and hours of practice.
That’s writing with an audience in mind. Could it be a richer experience to write solely for oneself?
Marcus Aurelius had no intention of anyone seeing his writing and almost 2000yrs later his work is very widely read - in fact for a lot of men (it’s mostly young men) this may be the only book of philosophy or spirituality they brush up against.
John Moriarty was asked by his publisher to make his writing less complicated so that his work could be read by a wider audience and he refused. He’s virtually unknown today but his work is timeless and I don’t think he’d want that any other way. He was interested in the energetics of a story and how important stories were to shield people in times of need.
Ah John Moriaty and his messy embodied wisdom. If only he knew he’d find himself in a home by the sea on audio one winters day ❄️
Never mind me eavesdropping and running off to google John Moriarty. 🔍
You’ll need to put the fire on and your feet up. 🥰
https://youtu.be/JnFgOhxj2nM
He knew. ✨
✨🪄✨ ✨ 🌌🌠🌌✨✨
...also I’ll be checking in with peoples comments here. I think it’s a fascinating area. 🥰
Love that you’re owning you’re a writer. There isn’t a panel of experts somewhere ruling on who gets to call themselves a writer or an artist or a maker or a creative... if you do these things claim that title!
Haha I got the image of the X factor or Britain’s got talent panel in my mind then! You are so right and to step into our inner creative whether we share it with the world or not is SUCH a beautiful thing. Hope you are having a lovely weekend. ✨🪄✨🌸
Claire, what a wonderful post! Really interesting to learn about your writing background - and I love that you're very much a writer.
I'm going to have to pop back and read more comments on this post as they come in, because I am absolutely certain, having read Janelle's comment, that this post is going to be providing Substack's very own 'I am Spartacus' moment.
Because guess what?
I AM a writer..... 🙌
Hehe YES!! And Thank you I just feel like this space is so so generous for that and maybe even for the first time I have a space online that meets my need. ✨
Yeeeeeah. I'm a writer. You're a writer. We are...writers!
“I’m Spartacus!” I love that. ☺️
You are 100% a writer!
I am too 💖
I am a writer! You are a writer yes it’s like a nudge and affirmation and permission slip all in one to better understand the thoughts that told me I wasn’t.:.quite...yet... ✨💜🪄
Totally! I still have that discomfort massively but I just carry on calling myself a writer 🤩
Ah I hear you... sometimes I do feel like my writing is as much “for” me and maybe even a co creation of sorts. I’m glad you own your writer title Vanessa!! So you should. I don’t know anything of your writing yet I’ll pop over and take a look. 📖✨✍️