timeline your writing journey
December 11 |
weekly warm-up
For this week’s exercise, create a timeline of your writing journey so far including significant memories, touchpoints, and pivots along the way. You can use whatever format you like— whether you make a list, draw a chart, or write it out in narrative form. When you’re done, consider the following questions for reflection: What are the high points and low points? What scenes come to mind for each one? What can you learn from each of these touchpoints and pivots? What assumptions did you make at each point? What were the external influencing factors?
Hi friends,
We are all writers here. Isn’t that a beautiful thing? More specifically, all of us see each other and ourselves as writers in this group. In other areas of your life you may be a teacher or lawyer or caregiver or chef. You might be a designer, singer, or visual artist. I’m sure you wear all kinds of hats. And in those areas of your life you may feel distant from your identity as a writer. But here in this group when you show up for our cowriting sessions and workshops, I hope that you have no question of your writer identity. Every person in this group sees you as a writer, and we’re reflecting your calling back to you because you claimed it by being here. I just want us to take a moment to acknowledge how nourishing that is. I love the idea that we claim our identities by the steps we take to align with it, and when we do this we become a clear channel for the people and resources we need to find us.
While we are thinking about our writer identities, the exercise this week is to reflect on the timeline of your journey as a writer, from childhood until now. For me, this exercise brought up the question of when I started thinking of myself as a storyteller. It certainly wasn’t always that way. In my mind, storytellers use vivid imagery, masterful language, and intriguing characters to transport you to a different world. I thought I left that freedom of imagination in my childhood. While writing has always been a safe space for me, I didn’t think of myself as a storyteller so much as a good explainer. I could express myself well when I wrote things down. I could calm myself, and I could say things that I wouldn’t dare to say out loud. But a storyteller? No. For a long time that limiting thought stood in the way of the fulfilling work that I do now.
I think I transformed into a storyteller during my blogging days because I surrendered to my urge to write and share my stories, and I saw evidence that it had a positive impact on my life and the lives of others. I couldn’t ignore that. When I look at the first draft of my writing journey timeline below, I see how the more I gave myself permission, the more the resources and opportunities appeared and the journey expanded. I plan to continue working on this exercise, mapping it out in a visual way, journaling about it and seeing what else comes up. Please feel free to share any reflections or insights you have from this exercise in the comments below.
First Draft: Touchpoints and Pivots of GG’s writing journey:
Writing in diaries and journals growing up
Writing stories and personal narratives for school
Team building communications at work
Journaling when sad
Writing letters when I want to explain myself well
Answering reflection questions for therapy
Personal blogging — freeform
Freelance writing and blogging
Finding online blogging community — social media
Social media experimentation with poetry, micro memoir
Ghostwriting content and courses
Self-publishing personal stories
Finding local writing community — The Writer’s Center
Writing content for ebooks, courses, and workshops
Introduction to memory journaling
Building AML writing community — monthly prompts
Studying and practicing personal essay writing
Introduction to traditional publishing process