Writing is a part of who I am. Ever since I was little, I’ve written. In first grade, I filled the pages of a purple journal every day at school. In second grade, I wrote little booklets with a friend. In third grade, I wrote a rendition of The Bears that Saved Christmas after being home sick from school one winter day.
As I grew, so did my passion for writing. In high school and college, I filled the pages of journals to capture and make sense of experiences. I also started writing novels. Now I write poetry and devotions for teens and blog to encourage young moms.
Writing has always been a part of who I am. When something is natural, sometimes you don’t think much about why you do it or how you do it. You just do it.
With writing being extremely important to me, it’s time to think about why.
I believe…
~We all have words to share.
~Writing can bring healing to others and ourselves.
~Writing is a way to process life’s events.
~It’s okay to write something just for fun.
~Your passions as a writer will evolve over time. Explore them.
~Inspiration will strike at any time. Be prepared with something to capture the thought (but it’s okay to expand on it later).
~If writing is important to you, you’ll be able to make time for it.
~We should never be afraid to share ourselves through our writing. Someone else will be able to relate to it and realize they are not alone.
~Not everyone will love what you write, but that doesn’t matter. Write what you love.
I love that I learn more about myself, others, and the world through simple words. Even if it feels like an uphill battle sometimes, it's worth it.
Be true to yourself and your writing. Your words matter. Your words will make a difference in someone's life. Don't be afraid to capture what’s in your heart.
Tynea Lewis is a former Title I teacher from Pennsylvania. She was named a 30 Under 30 honoree by the International Literacy Association in 2016 for her work with LitPick Student Book Reviews, an online reading and writing program. When she’s not busy overseeing the program, she loves to spend time with her husband and young daughters, write for a variety of audiences, and escape to the quietness of the mountains. You can connect with her on Twitter and Instagram at @TyneaLewis or on her blog at tynealewis.com.
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You have such great thoughts here. I am especially pulled to "If writing is important to you, you'll be able to make time for it." I believe this with most things in my personal life, as well as my classroom.
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing with us and sharing your manifesto.
Thanks! I haven't made enough time for writing...not like I did when I was in college, so it's time to get back to making writing a priority. When I stop saying, "I don't have time for..." and start saying, "I don't make time for..." it makes me stop for a minute and evaluate priorities.
DeleteMy favorite line is "Not everyone will love what you write, but that doesn’t matter. Write what you love." I have to tell myself this over and over again. Being authentic to who you are is most important, but that is where I get stuck. Those crazy questions of who really cares? why do I think anyone wants to read this? echo in my head.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean. I also have to remind myself over and over again about being authentic. Some of my worst writing has come from creating something I think someone else wants to hear, because I'm not being true to myself. On the other hand, some of my best writing is captured when my heart bleeds on the paper.
Delete“If something is important you’ll make time for it” ...true! I’ve set a goal to write daily in 2018. I used to do this, but stepped away from the habit because I was feeling stressed and something had to go. But now I’m ready to trade...writing is coming back!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
That's my goal for 2018 as well. I need to stop worrying about finalizing everything I write. Each piece does not have to be perfect. Having imperfect writing is better than no writing at all.
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