There is no Church of Writing. Do not listen to the Evangelists.

They come to your computer screen and make the path to Enlightenment clear: Write Every Day or Despair. They wander social media spreading the Good Word: Plotting Is The Only Way to the Book.

They would knock at your door if they knew where you lived: Traditional Publishing or Eternal Hell.

Do. Not. Listen.

Do not give them your address.

Scroll past.

Lock your doors.

There is no one true Church of Writing. So many prophets, seers, and evangelicals have carried various Good and True Writing Words that it’s confusing. We want The Answer. We crave Truth.

We want to worship at the One True Altar of Writing Success.

I am here to tell you: It does not exist. No Blog, Writing Book or Podcast will Save you. No practice will bring Enlightenment. No checklist will cleanse your soul of lack of inspiration.

Terrifying, no? There is no easy solution. There is no clear path. There is no One True Path to follow and so many “X’s” mark every map you’re handed that the Publication Treasure could be anywhere.

Thank the Writing Deities of Good that you are here, for *we* have the Good Writing Word (not to be confused with the non-existent One True Path) to give you.

The Only Good and True Writing Word™.

It is simple, Dear Heart, and is as such: Do not give up. Do not despair. At least, not forever (we would hate to be prescriptive).

Follow paths and solutions and keep moving forward, for that is important. But know that eventually the path will fail you. Expect it. Make peace with it. And, when you find yourself in a murky swamp, sinking in the mud, maybe even slipping beneath it, hold your hand up. Pull yourself out. Or let others pull you out.

Then follow another path.

The evangelicals will propose so many. You will never run out. 

Take their suggestions but not their certainty. Take their path but leave behind the hubris. Know that this path will fail, too. There are more swamps, dark forests, under-and-over-the-bridge trolls and where-did-that-giant-hole come from than you can imagine!

Then why follow anything at all? Why try? Why not just give up and despair?

Because, Dear Heart, the paths will work for a time, and teach you many important things. In the dark forests, there are flying magical fey who’ll light your path. In the swamps are mighty, strong draft horses who’ll help pull you free and never let you drown (nor get sucked under themselves). The trolls? Your village will stand with you, or you’ll find a new village.

You are never alone.

Along your journey, you’ll stumble upon havens and oases of success. You may not know when you’ve reached the Land of Success (it is not well marked).

Remember that you are powerful.

Because all the evangelists out there telling others of the One True Writing Path are even now luring new unsuspecting souls to their trails, with large promises and empty guidebooks. And even though you feel like it’s new territory for you (and probably always will), you are here reading this, which means some path has brought you to this Church of Writing (surely we won’t call it that).

You are here. You are following a path.

You already have much to offer others.

When your footing is certain and your heart at peace, you can be the flying magical fey and light the path. You can pull others from the murky swamp waters. You can help scare the trolls back to their dark corners.

And then, when Other Dear Hearts despair that they’ve fallen from the One True Writing Path and will never walk again, tell them of Your Journey. Tell them of the swamp, and the dark forest, and the roots that have snared your feet. Tell them of the weak bridges, the missing steps, the howling wolves at your heel.

Tell them you, too, fell off the path. But found another. And another.

Tell them about the magical lights. And how you learned to be one for others.

Tell them there is no Church of Writing (do not question where you are now). Tell them not to listen to their Evangelists and their One True Path, for there are more paths than stars in the night sky. Make sure you haven’t become an evangelist, either—it happens quicker than you’d think, and it happens to all of us, made enthusiastic by the new shiny promise that heralds peace and productivity.

Do not tell them: Write Every Day or Despair.

Do not spread the Questionable Word: Plotting Is The Only Way to the Book.

Do not knock at doors and shout: Traditional Publishing or Eternal Hell.

Do. Not. Become. Evangelical.

Share what has worked for you, and what has not. Let them choose the path that works best for Their Writing Heart in their Here and Now.

Remind them, over and over again, as I am reminding you today: Do Not Give Up. Do Not Despair.

At least, not forever (we would hate to be prescriptive). Your voice matters. Your truth matters. Your path matters.

Let it be known: This is The Only Good and True Writing Word™.