Episode 010 – Positive Thinking for Writers

This week on the podcast, we’re talking about the power of positive thinking when it comes to building your author career.

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Transcript

Hello Navigators. Welcome to Writer Roadmap, the podcast for writers seeking inspiration, guidance, and support on their creative journey. I’m your host, Holly Lyne, and our topic for today is a much-needed discussion, an exploration of the power of positive thinking and its role in propelling your writing career forward. But don’t worry – we’ll also take a pitstop to understand what toxic positivity is, and why that’s not our destination. So, let’s embark on this journey together!

It’s easy to say “Think positively,” but what does it actually mean? And how does it directly impact our lives as writers? Positive thinking isn’t just about smiling all the time or suppressing our negative emotions. No, it’s about embracing an optimistic outlook, having faith in your abilities, and treating challenges as opportunities for growth.

A writer’s journey is unique – full of ups and downs, rejections, edits, and moments of self-doubt. But it’s positive thinking that can be the driving force, pushing you through those long nights of editing, those intimidating blank pages, and those piles of rejection letters or bad reviews.

A growth mindset is a crucial part of positive thinking. Coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, a growth mindset is the belief that your abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. It’s a love of learning, a resilience to setbacks. And for us writers, this mindset is transformative.

Imagine seeing every setback not as a dead end, but a detour to a better destination. Imagine viewing every edit as a chance to make your work shine brighter. This is what a growth mindset can do. It takes the focus off of failure and redirects it to learning and evolving.

Now, as we navigate through this realm of optimism, it’s crucial we don’t lose sight of reality. This is where we need to beware of what’s called “toxic positivity.” Toxic positivity is the over generalization of a happy, optimistic state that results in the denial, minimization, and invalidation of the authentic human emotional experience.

I’m not promoting that. Writing, like life, is full of emotional nuance and complexity. It’s about acknowledging when things are hard, giving ourselves permission to feel frustrated or upset when our story isn’t flowing right or when another rejection letter hits the inbox. Pretending everything is perfect isn’t positivity – it’s avoidance.

True positive thinking embraces the full range of human emotions. It’s okay to feel down, it’s okay to feel stuck, it’s okay to feel the weight of writer’s block, which is a real thing. The power of positive thinking lies in recognizing these feelings, then deciding to push forward. It’s about acknowledging the struggle but not letting it define your journey.

So, how do we cultivate positive thinking as writers? Start by acknowledging both your victories and struggles. Celebrate every win, no matter how small. Got a sentence right after wrestling with it for hours? Celebrate that. Finished a draft? Celebrate that. Received a rejection but sent out another query anyway? Definitely celebrate that.

Taking the indie route is a solid option if you’re prepared to do the hard work. In my opinion, it’s also the route most suited to a positive mindset because you aren’t relying on some big shot to choose you, you get to choose yourself and take control of your career. I love that and that’s why it was the right option for me. It just might be the best, most positive thing you can do for yourself as well.

Surround yourself with positive influences, whether it’s a supportive writing community, uplifting books, or inspiring podcasts (like this one!). Most importantly, remind yourself daily why you write. Find that spark that ignited your writing journey and let it light your way when the road gets dark.

Adopting a positive, growth-oriented mindset won’t magically make the writing journey easy, but it will make it more meaningful. It will transform the way you view your progress and your potential. It will empower you to grow, not just as a writer, but as a person who has the power to create, inspire, and achieve.

That’s all we have for today, folks! Remember, positivity isn’t about pretending everything’s perfect – it’s about having the courage to persist when things are far from it. Keep writing, keep learning, keep growing.

As always, I’m here to help guide your writer’s journey. Don’t forget to subscribe and share this podcast with your fellow writers.

Be sure to follow me at my new Instagram account @writerroadmap

Until next time, happy planning.

Writer Roadmap intro and outro music used under license from Pixabay. Music track “Salangseuleoun” was Created by “Dayfox”.