Pretty Lynne Writes

A tiny bit of PL lore:

I had a bit of success as a writer when I was younger, but I didn’t have the ability to withstand criticism and I felt too fragile to put myself out into the world. (More on this in the future.)

I also had some funny beliefs about how art and creativity worked. I think back then I thought I should save my energy for writing really good things – really only do the work when inspiration strikes. But that was a bit of a stultifying belief, because it meant I was waiting for an idea that was good enough. (Narrator: if you don’t think you’re very good, PL, your ideas won’t seem good enough to start.)

Early in this smutty journey, I ran into some minor writer’s block. I think it was mostly fear that I wouldn’t be able to match my success. I commented to a writer I admire that I was feeling frozen. 

“Write something that doesn’t matter,” was the response. “It’ll come.”

So I got over my fear and did exactly that, and it turned into one of my favourite and most popular stories called “Nothing and Everything,” about a couple finding comfort in each other late at night. 

I have seen other writers who are prolific and prodigious and have marveled at their output. But, now I see the wisdom in their approach. 

First, creating is a bit like a muscle that gets stronger as you use it. This is why many books about writing recommend you do it every day. I don’t necessarily think it has to be that regimented, but you find what works for you. I also think it’s possible to exhaust the muscle, so breaks can be helpful. 

Second, the more you create the more you can create. It’s like priming the pump for ideas and material. You just need to be okay with the knowledge that not everything is going to be good or useful, but that nothing is wasted either. This is where you can’t be afraid to make some crap along with producing some gems.

In the film Strictly Ballroom, the character Fran recites to Scott her grandmother’s advice: “a life lived in fear is a life half-lived.” 

Writing has long been a way for me to process my feelings and thoughts, tell myself the story of my life, and tell others the story of the way I see the world. When people find something to relate to in my work, I am thrilled. 

And I’m enchanted and delighted by the way other people describe their worlds: they are poetic and fanciful and funny and melancholy and real, and they show me a version of the world as I hope it will be. One of my writer friends has described writing as casting a spell.

So, as someone who is qualified to give this only because she calls herself a writer, my advice is this: write everything. Write about whatever you’re thinking through or wondering about. Write about your struggles and your joys.

Show us what your world looks like. Make ours better as a result. Cast your spell. Don’t be afraid.