What’s In It For You The Reader When The Writer Isn’t Into You?

I’m so not feeling this essay today.

In my last daily writing for a month writing challenge known as Ship 30 for 30 I never had to resort to the l’m­-not-feeling-it-but-i-don’t-want-to-break-my-­streak-so-i’m-going-to-write-about-how-i-got-­over-it essay.

Today I have hit the wall.

Not from a lack of ideas, but from a lack of desire. The commitment of Ship 30 is to write and show up every day without fail. Writing every day is how you develop the habit, and consistency is how you build an audience.

It takes real courage to go public, and real effort to write. Most of us on social media consume, but don’t create. As a creator, I promised to entertain, educate and connect with you.

But what’s in it for you today?

Why should I write an essay for selfish reasons? Just because i don’t want to break my streak, or because I want to honor the commitment I made made, or set an example for my fellow writers, doesn’t mean I should create at all.

None of these reasons have to do with your needs, dear reader.

So I ask what is the benefit to you of reading about my hitting the wall? Will it help you if I confess that humaning is hard ? That the blackfaced gulls were mocking me with their laughter today?

Or would you rather I bragged about how I overcame my resistance because you need a hero or want helpful tips on how to overcome yours?

Maybe you’d prefer an anti-hero, someone who struggled and failed. In that case I may have stolen your time and attention, but you can feel you have your shit way more together than I do.

Today all I can do is remind you that life isn’t perfect. Church bells rang two minutes early, telemarketers called during a nap, and a kamikaze pelican failed to catch the fish.

And yet, isn’t life grand?

Photo credit: Ivo Rainha on Unsplash