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Rebirth of a writer
Finding a new way to write.
I’ve been making a living as a writer since 1997 but now I’m transitioning into a new role as a therapist. My articles have been published in Al Jazeera, CNN, Harper’s Bazaar and other respected media outlets; I’ve done copywriting for brands like Apple and Colgate, and have had stories published in fiction anthologies and literary magazines in the U.S., Canada and Asia. As a professional writer, I harbored hopes of publishing a bestseller (or at least something that would make the Top 10 list at my local bookshop). I wanted to birth a book that would make an impact in the world. But this hasn’t happened, and it’s OK.
Writing takes up a lot of time and headspace, and these days as I give more of my attention to the lives and stories of others, I find my capacity to write shrinking. Most days I happily embrace these changes, but a part of me grieves the death of my “writerly self” and the dream of leaving my written mark in the world.
I’ve been attempting to kill — or at least sedate — my inner writer, but these attempts have only led to increased unease and compulsivity with regards to writing, and guilt around not writing.
“Letting go of writing” was one of the intentions I brought into my most recent ayahuasca ceremony. This was what I received working with the medicine: “It’s not about whether or not…
