In A World Of Hares, Be A Tortoise
Writers Have To Have Faith In The Process.
Peace be upon you, fellow writers. Allow me to introduce myself since it’s the first time I publish in “The Fellowship Writer”. My name is Abdul Azim, which means the Slave of The Greatest. I’m from Malaysia, currently pursuing my undergrad in New Zealand. I‘ve stayed far from home for about four years now. I am called to advocate about habit-development. The reason is simple — one’s destiny is shaped by one’s habit.
I began seriously writing on Medium in July this year. I got into the platform upon a friend’s recommendation. From the start, I struggle to gain good followings. To my reflection, I think the reason is that I do not have readers who feel genuinely connected to my work.
I’m reading Stephen King’s On Writing. I suggest every one of you, writers, read it too. Regardless of your topics of writing. It contains wisdom in the world of “telepathy ”— or writing. Writers have something to show and can do so by making his mind connect with that of the reader. Paraphrasing King, he said,
“There are four types of writer: the bad, the competent, the good and the great. You can’t make a competent writer out of a bad one, and you can’t make a great writer out of a good one. But you can, with lots of hard work, dedication and timely help, make a good writer out of a merely competent one.”
I’m holding on to the last hope. My goal in “The Fellowship Writer” is to advocate about the habit of a good writer. Uncertainty and solitude fill this path. But it is less intimidating if we go through this together. Follow me and I will take you through a journey you will not forget. A journey to becoming a good writer.
Greatness Takes Time.
At some point in writing, you might think of quitting. Please don’t. Not yet. Effort + Patience makes a difference. These two comes together, neither work without the other.
Children want things to happen right away. But every parent knows that is impossible. Learning to read might take a few months for some, and a few years for others.
The path to becoming a good writer is not a race. For if it is, then the race is long over because we already have winners. But it’s not. It’s a journey you and I are called for.
And truth be told we don’t even know what the destination looks like. It could one day be our full-time career. Or it might as well be something we swear we will never do again in the future.
But both ways, we are still winning. Because we ANSWERED our life’s calling. Which many never did.
Passion Is A Double-Edged Sword.
To be passionate about writing is a great gift. Writing improves understanding and enhances creativity. Writing on Medium, nevertheless, is unique. You can inspire millions of people through your writings. And you can monetize it too.
It sounds like one of those things that are too good to be true. And it indeed is. The truth is you need to make real sacrifices to taste the slightest bit of success on the platform. And the hardest pill to swallow — it’s never certain if you will make it. All your effort might end up in a deep archive never seen nor heard by anyone.
Stephen King said that not everyone is meant to be a writer. I don’t buy that. Until I started writing. You can easily waste so much of your life if you do not carefully plan it.
Writing is a passion. And every passion is a double-edged sword. For there is a very thin line between a passion and obsession.
You want to answer your life’s calling. But at the same time, you don’t want to get caught in empty obsessions. To be deluded by greed and fake hopes.
We Have Far Too Many Hares.
To fellow writers, please don't rush through the process. There are unseen calamities if you bloom before time. Write every-single-day especially when you don’t feel like writing. Have faith in the process. It pays off eventually.
The pleasure is in the pursuit, not the fulfilment. If you EVER think of quitting, then don't. For the world might lose a great writer had only you give yourself more time.
On the other hand, you also want to give yourself a reasonable limit to pursue this passion. Otherwise, you might end up losing too much time over something that’s not meant for you. Like a kangaroo who tries to walk.
We writers follow a solitary path. But if we walk together, we may not feel so lonely. Understand — A person who goes alone goes fast. But a person who goes together goes far.
The Message Is Simple
Greatness takes time. Writing may or may not be our true calling. The only way to find out is to delve deep into it. Over time, we will eventually be better at connecting to our audiences. In the quest for answering our life’s calling, we dedicate time and effort. The price lay still in front of our very eyes. As the saying goes, the journey to Treasure Island is the real treasure.
Thank you for reading. Feel free to introduce yourself in the comment section!
