Writing as a career is tricky to navigate because practicing it is always some combination of art and commerce. When I’m asked how I got started writing for the public, I often emphasize the art part, how seeing skewed portrayals of trans people moved me to write essays about my own experience as a trans person. But of course, I was also aware that there were very few trans voices especially in mainstream publications at the time, and saw an opportunity to use my accumulated skills to gain a foothold as a writer.
Though when I’m actually sitting in front of my computer or notebook, I really do try to leave the second part behind, so that I’m as in touch as possible with the sources of my inspiration beyond capital. For me as a marginalized person, my impulse often comes from the desire to express aspects of human existence that other people have overlooked. I also often seek to move beyond established stereotypes about what people like me are supposed to be writing to find parts of myself that aren’t so easily categorized.
One of the things I see early-career writers do, which I also did early in my career, is get too hung up on how to fit their work to the needs of the market. It’s an important and practical aspect of writing, but ultimately, what allows work to stand out are its qualities beyond what’s expedient and expected, so I believe that it’s always important to be in touch with our own personal reasons for writing in the first place, especially when we’re actually sitting down to write.
At a practical level, this means that I try to give myself personal space when I’m writing, rather than constantly checking the outside world through the Internet. It means that I allow myself to write the way I want even when it’s not how the rest of the world writes. And it means finding my own passions and sources of inspiration, rather than just following whatever else the world thinks is popular. That way, when I’m sitting down to write, I feel close to the unique influences that fuel my work.
Happy writing,
Meredith
P.S. If you’re in New York and would like to get the two-hour, in-person workshop version of this post, I’m doing precisely that workshop with The Strand next Tuesday, June 21 at 7. More info here.