Role models have a unique ability to guide and inspire us.
As authors, it’s one thing to theoretically understand what we need to do. It’s another entirely to see a writer we admire shining brightly, lighting the path for us to walk.
Special Note: This is a guest post by Chandler Bolt, he is the host of the Self Publishing School podcast & the author of 6 bestselling books including his most recent book titled “Published.” He’s also the founder & CEO of Self-Publishing School, the #1 online resource for writing your first book.
If you’re feeling fearful, or doubtful, or like you’re not enough, you’re far from alone.
Any writer woe you’re facing has been overcome before.
When you find someone who has overcome similar challenges to those you face, you give yourself the belief that you can do the same.
Here are some examples to help you move forward.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Have you ever doubted your academic ability? Does some part of you fear that your educational history disqualifies you from writing?
Considering the prominence F. Scott Fitzgerald’s work would go on to have in the classroom, his background is a little ironic.
Fitzgerald was a notoriously poor speller, and with hindsight, many believe he had A.D.D. Traditional academic success was not something Fitzgerald was able to attain.
In spite of that background, he became one of the most studied and loved authors in American history.
How can we draw inspiration from F. Scott Fitzgerald when facing our own fears as writers?
- Love is more important than technical ability. For many of us, having our writing criticized, and being expelled academically, might cause us to give up. Not Fitzgerald. He persisted regardless, spending his time and energy on crafting the stories he loved. The difference? These days, we’re blessed with a lot of tools to help us overcome our technical limitations.
- Our background doesn’t define us. Often, we’re under intense pressure from a young age to have a predefined life path in mind and an academic background that seems ideally suited to it. If there’s something in your academic past that makes people scoff at your odds of becoming a writer, don’t let it stop you.
The next time you find yourself letting a typo or spelling error knock your confidence, stop.
Remember Fitzgerald.
Our academic ability and technical skill don’t determine if we succeed as book writers.
Only we do.
Paulo Coelho
As writers, we know how it feels to be doubted. To be treated with a little scorn if we open up about our ideal future or express our creative side a little too strongly.
Paulo Coelho experienced things more severely – he was committed to an insane asylum multiple times by his own family.
After attending law school, and ignoring writing for years, Coelho returned to his calling at the age of 39.
Tens of millions of copies sold later, and countless lives touched, we can conclude that things worked out for Paulo Coelho.
But how can we apply ideas from his journey to our own writing goals?
- We can let down our loved ones. While some of us are fortunate enough to have parents that want us to chase our dreams, many do not. While Coelho’s story is an extreme case, it’s possible that even the most painful disapproval can result in superb success.
- We can switch paths throughout our life. One trap a lot of writers fall into is feeling like it’s ‘too late to start’. Just peruse some writing quotes from famous authors and you’ll quickly discover that it’s never too late. Coelho’s commitment to eventually following his heart’s desire shows us we can become successful writers even after a long period of doing something else.
One of the hardest things to do in life is to admit we’re on a different road to success than people we love and respect wish for us. Or to drop a prestigious and seemingly stable career such as law to pursue something creative.
If you ever happen to find yourself in either of those scenarios, recall Paulo Coelho. Both his fiction and life story can provide you with the courage to carry on.
Agatha Christie
Did you know Agatha Christie didn’t always seem destined for writing stardom?
Christie was known for struggling with spelling and writing in general. Even among her family group, she was not believed to be particularly intellectual.
The fact that Christie went on to sell over 2 billion copies is remarkable.
So what lessons can we take from Christie’s background and apply to our own writing lives?
- We blossom at different times. Sometimes, we can sadly let our perceived role within the family group determine the path we later take. Christie didn’t. If being seen as less able among her own family didn’t hold her back, please don’t let it hold you back either. You can achieve your potential later in life, regardless of how your childhood seemed to set you up.
- We use the tools we have. Christie achieved a lot of her best work by dictating it. Think about the advances in technology we have enjoyed since Christie’s era. If you are struggling to get your words down, try recording them. Hearing our writing out loud also improves it on the page.
Try and use Christie’s story as proof that our perceived identity within our family growing up doesn’t define who we later turn out to be. Also, using technological tools doesn’t make us any less of a writer.
We all need to do the best we can with what we have, just like Christie did.
Which Author Has Inspired You The Most?
So which author has inspired you the most throughout your writing life?
Are there any other authors you like to lean upon mentally when times get tough?
Please feel free to share some examples and takeaways from your personal favorites in the comments.
