How to thrive as a writer
By Lashun Williams
Writers, we live on an iceberg. We dwell upon the land of frozen words and broken sentences to create life in the uninhabitable – I mean, even a blank document or piece of paper is white. The writer’s path is usually described as a tumultuous roller coaster, or even a scale that tends to be either unfair or too narrow or broad. This roller coaster of ideals, worries, mistakes and successes has caused writers throughout time to throw their pens and pencils across the room, abandon entire projects, or even have love–hate relationships with their laptops and writing devices. These challenges would make people give up. But we know what’s underneath the surface of these challenges. We access the depths of writing and become masterful wordsmiths and creators of the unknown, cultivating life. Whether it’s non-fiction, a technical document, or a fantasy world, us writers plummet to the depths of the unspoken word and become magicians, explorers and even enthusiasts. We live and thrive on icebergs.
”We write to taste life twice, in a moment and in retrospect.“
– Anais Nin
The arctic depths of a writer’s path involve bravery that is usually unfamiliar to non-writers. Writers are required to read, write, read some more, and write even more than that. When we, metaphorically, look into the waters of the icy depths, peering over the edge of the iceberg to stare into the bottomless, treacherous darkness of the deep beneath, we face our greatest enemy: ourselves. Each writer is different and so the creatures within the depths of their own ocean will be different. Sometimes, it’s doubt, low self-esteem, intrusive thoughts, procrastination, overthinking and oversimplification, analysis paralysis or simply not having a single word to say. If you’re worried about your living conditions on this iceberg or even wondering how to handle the depths beneath, here are some tools to help you utilise your skills and fortify your tent.
5 tips to fortify your iceberg tent
1. Face the fact that you are a writer. You’re here reading this article and absorbing more insightful information to assist you in your writing career. You’re doing the hard work that most “writers” wouldn’t do. That’s a hard pill to swallow, so give yourself some much-needed gratitude and a pat on the back.
Metaphorically, envision yourself alone on a large iceberg. The size, shape and terrain depend entirely on you. You are not isolated on this iceberg, and it is your home. This iceberg represents your writing journey. Deciding to be a writer is sometimes not an overnight decision. Sometimes, it takes days, weeks, even years to truly dedicate your time to writing. Taking responsibility for your decision to walk the writer’s path takes courage and strength, mental clarity, and a willingness to do the act, whether it’s for work or a personal desire. Still, you’re a writer.
2. Identify your niche and challenge yourself. Identifying your niche will put your writing into a narrower perspective. This is actually helpful because then you are making your life ten times easier. For example, if your iceberg is filled with evergreen trees – go with it – then you could write about evergreen trees. If you are a grant writer, then you are simply doing your job. Now let’s take this a step further. If you’re a non-fiction writer that is diving into a new topic like a biography and you’ve never written a single one before, then you are challenging yourself to step out of your comfort zone to add to your repertoire. Some writers can stick to the same genre throughout their entire career, while others mix and match. Finding where you want to be and what you’re naturally good at will ensure your focus is set, and you’ll be able to ground yourself onto your iceberg sternly.
3. Utilise your ocean and make something out of it. Have you seen the ‘angry iceberg’, the image of an iceberg that shows anger at the top and other emotions like shame, guilt and embarrassment at the bottom? Well, that’s what writers face. Shame and embarrassment, sure, but that’s not all I’m talking about. Underneath the iceberg are the depths of a writer: our countless hours editing, our occasional sacrifices of time and money, our stressed hair follicles when we approach a deadline, our tireless need to find the right word to insert in a sentence, and more. Within these oceans are killer whales of catharsis, mandates of misery, eels of excitement, narwals of nameless characters, and penguins of punctuation. We can make stories, documents, articles and blogs, and more from these countless animals and we can filter and cultivate amazing works by being the pinnacles of our own successes. Living on the iceberg comes with its many challenges and rewards. It can be hard, but we do it anyway.
“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”
– Robert Frost
4. Organise your time. Living alone on an iceberg might be possible for some, but there are writers that are parents and caregivers, busy bees and businessfolk that require their time to be elsewhere. So how does one fortify their iceberg if there are hungry hands and eager voices around. Planners can be a writer’s best friend. You can also set up a date for yourself in Calendly or Google Suite, where you have a very important meeting with your manuscript. You can also carry notebooks and journals around with you. Writers aren’t defined as ‘locked wizards on their laptops’. They’re defined by their storytelling, their ability to morph words into clear, concise, informative, persuasive, expository and imaginative text for a wider audience. Making time and space for your work will mean more to you than anything, and you’ll be more comfortable on this iceberg, for sure.
5. Make the most of it. As mentioned before, you’re doing the hard work that most “writers” wouldn’t do. Enjoying the process of writing is beneficial for you and for your readers. Enhancing your love for your work will have people flying through the pages. Readers feel a writer’s love, so if you despise your work, guess what? They will see and feel it, too. So, enjoy the process of writing and value your iceberg and your tent for what it is: home.
Unfortunately, those are only the surface difficulties that us writers go through. There is a depth that is well understood by seasoned writers and that depth goes beyond the realm of the surface. Ultimately, it’s up to us to make the most out of this expansive world and to dive into the depths of the writer’s world and be prepared for the journey ahead. It can be a harrowing process, though it’s one that is truly worth it.
About Lashun
Lashun Williams is an African American writer of self-help, fantasy fiction, and romance novels. Her debut fantasy series, Element Princess, was published in 2013 under the pen name Jenaia Williams. She also published her short story Sea Comedies in DC Sentinel in 2022.
Lashun is currently obtaining her Associates in Liberal Arts at Southern New Hampshire University and completing more novels and creative projects. She is a member of the Women’s National Book Association and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. When she’s not writing, Lashun invests her time studying metaphysics, occult sciences, and spirituality.