The 6 P's of Being a Great Children's Book Writer: Purpose

The 6 P's of Being a Children's Book Creative: Purpose

I know purpose seems like a really big, esoteric thing out there. And there is a lot of pressure to "find your purpose." However, this time think of purpose as "why are you doing what you're doing?" Why are you writing?

Sometimes we do things because other people say we're good at it or that we should. My philosophy these days is "if it has a 'should' in it, it's not for me." Should usually implies that there is a belief that it is something that others want us to do, but it isn't necessarily a good fit for us. That doesn't mean that if someone says you're good at something, like writing that you should pursue it and get better at your craft. Just don't expect a NY Times Bestseller right out of the gate.

Your purpose is why you get out of bed in the morning and why you keep writing. The more broadly you state your purpose the better. It will leave more room for synchronicity, passions, and possibilities. Don't worry about whether your purpose is "worthy" or "big enough." Your purpose in writing is who you are right now in this moment. Your purpose will touch your heart and make a difference to you. It doesn't matter what others think. Just remember that life ebbs and flows, and your purpose may change over time. That's okay!

Think about this:
List 3 times in your life from the day you were born to this moment when you accomplished something in your writing that you felt proud of or passionate about. Look for three successes about which you can say, "That felt awesome! I did that!" It can be something you did on your own, with others, or something you did for someone else. Write them down quickly. Don't stop to think about your answers. No censoring!

Now look at your answers and find the common thread (or theme) that made you feel great about your achievements. What was the gift in all three examples? If at first you don’t see the theme, visualize yourself back at the time and place of each event. How were you feeling about yourself or the event? Don’t narrow things down. Stay broad and general. Perhaps all three items were fun; they have a partnership element; or they made you feel uneasy at first, but you did them anyway; or maybe there was a quality of magic associated with the situations. The test is whether or not the theme was something about which you felt excited at the time. Don’t be concerned if you don’t feel passion for it now. This underlying theme of all of the events is your purpose in writing. If you’re having difficulty finding the theme in all three accomplishments, but you were excited about one of them, you’re on the right track. Keep it short and simple. Then write it in an empowering way (i.e. My theme: to experience the adventure of life, changed to an empowering statement: I inspire others to live life as an adventure.)

Make the commitment to your writing by stating your PURPOSE in the comments below.