“uh… Zoe… you’re in yearbook right?”
“Yes I am! I am a photographer and a designer.”
“But don’t you like, write, and stuff?”
“Uhm, yes?”
“Then, like, why aren’t you a writer in yearbook? Does that mean you suck at writing?”
That is literally a conversation I had the other day in class. Yes, I am on my high schools yearbook staff. Yes, I am just a photographer and a designer. I don’t and I won’t write anything for yearbook. But does that mean I can’t write at all just because my journalistic writing skills aren’t up to standers? I don’t think it does. But today, that is what we are discussing.
I have been writing ever since I could remember. Granted, they were never really all that good until recently when I got serious about it. And not to toot my own horn, but I know I don’t have the writing skills of the average freshman. I have somewhat of a small talent. Not only that, but a passion. But, I suck at journalistic writing. I do. I forget the pesky rules and want to write in first person and it just always falls flat. This is fine with me. It never bothered me. With three years of yearbook under my belt, I know my strong suit is not journalistic writing. But apparently, I am not good in any aspects at all just because I am horrible in one.
This logic is very flawed. It’s like saying someone to someone who can’t play the drums that they are a bad musician, even if they consider themselves to be great at the guitar. See what I mean? That logic is hazy. And, who is to determine whether or not my writing is good? Some outsider, like the random person in my class, can’t just assume everything else I write is a disaster just because I can’t write copy for the yearbook. It’s like having a professional dancer judge a singing contest. It just doesn’t work and frankly doesn’t make any sense.
I know I’m probably just getting a little too worked up on this subject. But writing is my whole life, and I know I don’t discuss it on my blog as much as I want, it’s one of the main things I have going for me in my life. It’s a slap in the face when some outsider makes assumptions like that.
To sum things up: Yes, I am a somewhat good writer in certain aspects. Not others. That does not make me a bad writer.
Totally off topic, but, my read a long for Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid starts soon. Are you participating? Are you using the hashtag? You should. Adi might retweet you. And we are going to get a q&a!! It’d mean the world to me if you participated. We have a goodreads group for this read a long, and also a whole post sort of explaining this read along. Feel free to tweet me any questions @/zoereadsiguess Thanks for reading!
-Zoe xo
So Many Words 