Greetings from the cave!

I've been thinking a lot about how when writing - or just creating for that matter - it can be very hard not to get caught up in the glitz and glamor, the praise, the engagement and the accolades. They seem so worthwhile, but are they really worth pursuing after? 

(Spoilers ahead, be warned!)

I came across Wonder Woman 1984 on Prime, and decided to watch it. I had seen Wonder Woman a few years ago when visiting Lia and had liked it. (Disclaimer: there are some impure scenes in both of these movies, they're skippable though).

Over the course of the movie, I became fascinated by the side villain of the story, Cheetah. She starts out as Barbara Minerva, a socially awkward gem expert who becomes friends with Diana (Wonder Woman). Jealous of the poise and appeal of Diana, Barbara wishes on a stone that she could be like her. As the movie progresses, she attains similar powers to Diana and likes it so much, she'll do anything to keep them. 

But, in becoming more like Diana, Barbara lost the one thing that made her unique - her bubbly personality. She became another cruel, kick-butt female "hero", that was no hero at all. She got the attention she wanted, but it was the wrong kind of attention (sleazy guys going after her, etc.) and it nearly cost her everything. 

But why does this matter to me?

Because God has been laying hints to me that I'm falling in that same trap in my writing life. 

Over the past year or so, vanity and envy has taken over my writing life and paralyzed it. The pressure on myself to create a really great story has produced some of the worst writing I've ever written. Seeking affirmation by likes on social media and comments has stagnated both my growth and my motivation to post. Trying different styles of newsletter to get the optimum engagement has only lowered it. 

Being a carbon copy isn't working out so well. 

The point of this is not to invite pity by any means. I say this as a warning to my fellow authors to make sure that we're writing for the right reasons. 

The reason why we should write is to give glory to God, not to ourselves. For we are not responsible for the words that flow from our pens. God is. And many times, the words are the same but the delivery is different. 

Therefore, it doesn't matter whether your post gets 1 like or 1000 likes, you need to speak the truth and be personable. 

It doesn't matter if your newsletter gets opened by some or all of your subscribers, you need to write the truth and be personable. 

Genuine people will like you because of you, not because you are like something. Being engaged with a small group of people is much better than having a huge platform, because there is genuine care that is being passed between. So if you're attempting to copy someone in an attempt to get likes, chances are, it's going to be noticeable (stilted language being a dead giveaway).

People often say in these situations to "be yourself". I view that as terrible advice because it's abstract and vague. What we truly need to do is remove our ego from the picture and let our souls speak instead. Because ultimately, that is what will speak to God when our earthly life is finished. 

Our souls are not carbon copies. So why should we treat our lives and products as carbon copies of someone else's?  

Catherine <3