The Artist's Prayer

The Writer's Prayer by Zachary Phillips.

I am a writer.

I have given myself this time to write.

This time is sacred.

I will not waste it.

I will not worry about the quality,

Worth,

Or potential audience.

I will just write.

I will get the words on the page as they come,

Without judgment,

Without filter.

I will write because I love it,

Because I have something to say,

And because writing heals me.

And when the time is up,

I will let it go until I sit down to write again.

This prayer,

This invocation,

This creed,

Whilst it's called the Writer's Prayer,

Can easily be changed to suit whatever creative pursuits you're undertaking.

Whether it be writing,

Music,

Or dance,

Or architecture,

Or painting,

Or sports,

Or even business.

Whatever you're looking to create,

You can use it to help you produce anything that has its own intrinsic artistic value.

This Writer's Prayer can be used to help you clear your mental space and just create.

So it starts off with,

I am a writer.

So state that to yourself.

I am an X.

I am whatever I want to be.

I am a writer.

Because it's very easy to think that until you're world famous,

Until you're published,

Until you're quote unquote successful,

Whatever that means,

You are not that thing.

But if you are doing it,

You are it.

I am a writer.

I've given myself this time to write.

So you're going to dedicate time to your craft.

You've given that time to the craft.

That time's sacred and it shouldn't be wasted.

Because we've all got work to do.

We've all got bills to pay,

And we've all got people to see,

And house chores,

And all of the things that life contains.

So if you've managed to carve a certain amount of time out of your life to do your craft,

Value it.

It's sacred.

It shouldn't be wasted.

I will not worry about the quality,

Worth,

Or potential audience.

This is about just getting it down,

Getting it done.

There's a real risk of an internal editor,

The internal voice of negativity,

Just telling you that you're not worthy,

That your creations suck.

You know the voice that repeatedly asks you,

Why are you doing this?

Or,

Why are you wasting this time?

Don't worry about it.

Just get it down.

Just do it.

And then,

Once you have it down,

Then you can revise it.

Then you can look at it.

And then you can work out what to do with it.

But you now at least have something to work with.

You've filled up the canvas,

So to speak,

And you can tweak,

And edit,

And change.

Because if you try and make tiny edits as you go,

And think,

What will people think of this,

As you are creating it,

There's a risk that the process will become quite reductive,

And your craft will seem stinted.

So I'll just write.

I'll get the words on the page as they come,

Without judgment,

Without filter.

I will get it out and do it.

So then it becomes,

I'll write because I love it.

Because I have something to say,

And because writing heals me.

This is why I'm doing my craft.

I write because I love it.

Because I have something to say,

And because it heals me.

Why do you write?

Why are you doing your craft?

There is a reason.

Do it for that reason.

And then the final part,

And when time is up,

I will let it go until I sit down and write again.

We're talking about the idea of being able to let go of the creative pursuits.

Because I know personally that I get very into things,

And there's a real risk of it taking over,

And impacting my work,

And impacting my family,

And impacting my entire life even.

So I find that if I cap my writing time with the writer's prayer,

Then I know that it's okay,

And that I can let it go.

I've had my writing time,

And now I'm doing other stuff.

My other life.

That's what works for me.

So I strongly encourage you to use this writer's prayer.

Change the words to suit your craft,

And say it at the start and the end of your creative pursuits.

And just write.

I'm a writer.

I've given myself this time to write.

This time is sacred.

I will not waste it.

I will not worry about the quality,

Worth,

Or potential audience.

I will just write.

I'll get the words on the page as they come,

Without judgment,

Without filter.

I will write because I love it.

Because I have something to say,

And because writing heals me.

And when the time is up,

I will let it go until I sit down to write again.