DEAR WRITER : You don't have to do everything all at once...

The term “emerging writer” is a sort of catchall–sometimes it means writers who haven’t published at all. Other times, it can cover writers with a first book and even a second. Some writers are labeled emerging for nearly a decade.

Here’s my working definition:

EMERGING

• Has not written a novel length work (yet)

• Pre-MFA or MFA adjacent

• Has some workshop experience or none

• Publishing semi-regularly or not at all

• No major prizes or being long-listed, short-listed 

ESTABLISHED

• Authored a novel-length work

• Has a professional agent/editor

• Received industry level recognition (keynote speaker status, baby)

• Teaches writing at higher level

• Recipient of prizes and awards

One of the saddest mistakes/misdirections I see with aspiring, beginner, and early writers is not knowing where you are on the Emerging to Established spectrum and feeling terrible about themselves because of it.

And in the fast moving, wild ass writing world,  it can easily feel like you have to do EVERYTHING all at once.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE.

Repeat (this is for the unbelieving perfectionists):

YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE.

When we’re from a marginalized community or are entering the writing game sort of late or from left field, there’s this self-defeating notion of trying to do all the things all the time.

It’s this lethal mix of unrealistic expectations, imposter syndrome, productivity obsessive capitalism, and scarcity.

Instead of moving with intention and soulful strategy, we’re out here doing the most in the most self-defeating way possible:

We’re out here emailing agents and editors way before we’re ready to.

We’re burning ourselves out and applying to too many workshops.

We’re out here trying to write every morning at 4 am knowing damn well we have generalized anxiety and a job-job where writing that early will have us falling asleep at our desk at 1:33 pm.

So unsexy (not to mention exhausting, expensive, and draining).

There is no race.

Building a writing career that feels good to you is way more marathon than sprint.

Accept where you are.

Every writer, even the titans, was once a baby emerging writer.

Yeah, you may get to your destination faster doing all the things.

But will you be well?

Will your work have time and space to grow?

Will you enjoy the process?

It’s okay to be an emerging writer.

Own where you are and proceed onward.