finding your lane as a heart-centered writer

“Your life is already artful—waiting, just waiting, for you to make it art." — Toni Morrison

Finding your lane in the writing world can feel isolating + intimidating, so it’s important to have a clear understanding of your why, and to keep your why at the center of your vision, planning, and decision-making process. 

I started off my writing journey with an influencer mindset which makes sense because I started off as a blogger. It was an accessible way to turn my writing hobby into a career, because I had no writing degree, no connections, no roadmap. I took every opportunity that came to me so I could get some experience + figure out where I felt aligned. I experimented with blogging, freelance writing, ghostwriting, copywriting, course creation + self-publishing. I built an audience by writing vulnerably about my self-discovery journey and offering tools to help others write their truths as well, which created a clear channel for like-minded people to find me. 

But I began to associate likes, follows, and attention with success. I began to think that writing popular posts would lead to more opportunities (which often it does) but when you have this in mind while you’re creating, your creative energy is muddied by your ego + it affects the way you work. Many creatives start out with genuine intentions to grow organically, but then get caught up in the highlight reel of it all. I was one of them. 

You’re easily distracted when you create this way. Your why needs to be the source of your momentum. If your source of momentum is the validation you get from others, you will succumb to your ego’s interpretation of your results. Your ability to take risks, experiment + learn will be stunted by your fear of poor results + rejection.

After getting distracted by imposter syndrome, one key factor in finding my lane was reconnecting with my reason for writing in the first place. It was about disrupting cycles + silences. It was about personal + collective healing. These reasons became the source of my momentum instead of my ego’s desire to prove my worth.

I found that I wrote with the most ease when I was writing to fellow creatives and storytellers, particularly heart-centered, soulful writers with stories to tell and emotional blocks in the way. Once I got clear on that, it was all about how and where can I find this audience and what can I write for them?

Creative blocks melted away when I stopped paying so much attention to who wasn’t checking for me, and I started pouring love into those who were. To expand my reach, I partnered with creative organizations and communities who served this audience, and I focused on building my own creative community. 

Opportunities to write and facilitate came along that I didn’t expect, and they brought new skill sets, supporters, and ideas for next steps. I found a path that teaches me what I need to know emotionally, creatively, and professionally w/ each step outside of my comfort zone. 

The process isn’t as fast or as sexy as I thought it would be. It’s slower and more sacred, and certainly more ME. 

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