Just Be You in Writing
By LMReviews on Mar 17, 2009 in Multicultural Writing, Writing/Freelancing
I mentioned in a previous post how I met up with some friends for the first time since going freelance. I also mentioned in a previous post how it took a while before I felt comfortable telling people about my writing. It’s never easy for others to understand what we do or why we do it.
However, when you start to pursue something part of seeing it come to pass is owning it and taking accountability for it. My Friday night out was an example of why it took me so long to share something as personal as my affinity for writing with others. I’m not talking about the actual product that I produce, but the very fact that I write in the first place.
I was sitting among mixed company, folks I am friends with and folks I was meeting for the first time. One of the newbies had been told that “I write” and immediately she wanted to know who I model my writing after. She wanted to know if my writing was sexy like Zane or like Jerome Dickey. I have nothing against these talented and successful authors, but I model my writing after no one and I told her so. Not because I’m “that special” but because, for better or for worse, I really don’t think my writing resembles what’s out there. My stories are not heavy romances. They are all have a multicultural or interracial component and tend to be sarcastic and funny. My focus is broader than boy meets girl and they fall in love.
I think this person became offended that I wouldn’t compare myself to anyone. My first tip off was when someone asked the general crowd if there was a pen available, her comment was, “The writer should have a pen!” My response, “I actually have three…!” (HA!)
I’m learning that in this industry it may not be in your best interest to compare yourself to someone else because that person’s style already exists. Sure, we all have favorite authors with techniques we hope to learn from, but we should still desire to have our own voice and that certain something that makes our writing uniquely our own.
So never feel obligated to compare your writing to another author’s just to appease someone else. In the end, your writing must represent you and no one else.
