Beware the Gatekeepers

Beware the gatekeepers.

I am not a gatekeeper.

I think writing can be taught. I’m a teacher. I have taught writing to students in middle school, high school, college, and graduate school. My students are awesome. Everyone practices. Everyone writes. Everyone improves. There. Done. Writing can be taught.

People who tell you writing can’t be taught are not trying hard enough to teach writing. Get creative, for crying out loud. I often say that you don’t really know something until you can teach it to a seventh grader. I learned an immense amount about myself, about writing, about stories, and about teaching by showing up every day for ten years with my students.

So that’s one type of gatekeeper: the one who tells you writing can’t be taught. Give me a break.

Another type of gatekeeper is the one who keeps telling you how hard it all is. It’s so hard to write, so hard to break in, so hard to publish, so hard to edit, blah blah blah. Beware those who stand on a rock and speak from on high, who pretend to stand above the craft and art of writing, who dare to stand between you and the art and craft of writing. They’re full of warnings and worries, pronouncements and qualifiers. Give me a break. Get down off that pedestal and hush up and make yourself useful.

There are other kinds of gatekeepers, and you may know some. They’re the kind who tell you what you “should” be doing. You’ve written an article, a poem, a story, a screenplay, and suddenly someone (not a writer) is telling you to write a mystery, a thriller, a children’s book, or, better yet, a bestseller. Yes! Write one of those! I like to say, “Oh, good idea. And what do you do? You’re in business? You know, what you should be doing is becoming a millionaire. Aren’t you a millionaire yet? I thought you were in business. You should really be a multimillionaire, I mean, if you’re in business.”

If you’re a writer, be a writer. Ignore the gatekeepers. Identify them for what they are. They are in your way. So keep moving. Keep writing.

And especially do not put yourself above other writers or other fellow members of creative communities. Be open. Be respectful. Learn from everyone. Keep searching your entire creative life for knowledge, experience, tips, tricks, templates, tools, and wisdom from every corner, every practice, every practitioner, every innocent, every cranky wizard and fellow student. These are your people.

Be a student forever of the craft and art. This humble posture of respectful curiosity will free you in the pursuit of your calling. The arrogant posture of the gatekeeper will freeze you in ignorance. Don’t be a gatekeeper, and don’t let them freeze you out. Keep warm. Keep moving. Get past them. Keep asking and seeking and learning and writing.

I am not a gatekeeper. I am here to tell you what I’ve learned. I’ll share the writing books and tips and tools that have helped me, the advice from fellow writers who did not slam the gate on me but swung it wide and said, “Welcome.”

So, yeah. Welcome.

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PHOTO: I took a photo of this mask at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC.