A Letter to Reluctant Writers by Erin Vogler

Dear Writer,

Yes. I’m talking to you.  If you’re here and reading these words, this message is meant for you.

You don’t write every single day? So what? Maybe you just don’t write daily YET. Maybe you are tired, or busy, or scared. 

That’s okay. 

And it’s also not okay.

If something in you is telling you to write.  Listen.  Ideas and inspiration come to us for brief visits.  That story you want to tell? Write it while it’s with you.  Before long, the details will fade, your schedule will interfere, and your fears will tell you that you can’t write it...that your words aren’t good enough.

But they ARE.  We all have stories to tell, memories that we want to capture, poems to write, songs to sing - you get the picture, right? The truth is that our words matter.  Our stories, memories, and imaginations matter. In fact, I believe they are an essential piece of human connection.

I’m guessing that if you’re struggling, it’s because someone or something along the way made you feel like what you have to say doesn’t matter, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

And if you’re sitting there thinking that my first guess was wrong, maybe my second guess will land closer to your heart - perhaps your struggle is with feeling like you can’t possibly write well. That you’ll make mistakes, or that the writing will be terrible...and that can be paralyzing. 

But guess what? You WILL make mistakes. You WILL write things that are terrible.

That’s okay. As it should be, in fact.

You see, you have to write to get better at writing.  You have to experiment, and you will, often, fall flat on your face.

Eventually, however, with patience, a little grit, and a whole lot of grace, those words will start to sing. Your pen will fly across the page, you’ll feel the glory of that moment when everything begins falling into place. 

The only way to grow, as a writer and as a person, is to show up. Consistently, no matter how busy, fearful, or doubtful you may be feeling. 

So, what’s next?

Find tools that invite you to sit down and dig in.  If you want to jump beyond journaling or reflecting on your day, but aren’t sure where to begin, a simple internet search for writing prompts will give you plenty of fodder for ideas. Search your favorite social media platforms for writing and sketching challenges.  Write beside and in response to the words of other writers whose words resonate with you.

Take the leap.

A writing life is a life of intentional noticing.  The more you write, the more you’ll notice, and the more you notice, the more you’ll have the itch to pull out your notebook and write.  Be willing to embrace the bumps and imperfections, and remember that every writer feels the way you do, and much more often than we’d all like to admit.

If it helps, imagine me, in my classroom or my little house in Western New York, staring at the blank page along with you, probably frustrated, but having faith that the words will show up if we do.

Now, let’s open those notebooks (or docs) get to it!



Erin Vogler teaches middle and high school English at Keshequa Central School in the Genesee Valley in Western New York.  She can be found on Twitter @vogler3024 and Instagram @mrsvogler3024, often when she is avoiding her own writing due to self-doubt, an overbooked schedule, or by spending time with her three demanding dogs.