Internal Writing Control

There is a term borrowed from the field of psychology that applies well to writers. It's the concept of "internal locus of control." What this means is that those who have a solid sense of who they are and who do not depend on the opinions of others for their sense of self-esteem have an internal locus of control. Their personality, image and standing in the world come from their own internal understanding of who they are. They remain unbuffeted by the winds of popularity and unpopularity. Writers desperately need this internal locus of control. It is too easy to be tossed about by what others think, what we think they think, and what we think is expected of us. If we blow with every wind that comes our way, we lose our way, and our writing suffers as a result. It is when we stand firm, against all criticism and odds, and write what we know we were meant to write in the way that we feel we should write it that we have a chance of achieving excellence. No true artist ever achieved brilliance by doing what he thought others wanted him to do. Writers must have a strong connection to their inner voice and that voice must be their anchor that grounds them in the chaotic and confusing world of publishing. We must believe in our message, understand our purpose as writers, and never compromise our style to the whims of the marketplace. Art can't be compromised. It can only be expressed. We need to focus on that expression and set our sights on the artistic control from within instead of the critical forces from without.