Weird Advice

Several times this month I have come upon the advice for creative people to do and be more of whatever it is that makes them weird. In an eight-minute video of advice from eight writers, Claire-Louise Bennett, a British writer, suggests that rather than trying to conform, it’s more interesting to identify what’s weird about whatever it is we’re doing and really get into that. And in her art workshop, mixed-media artist Miriam Schulman reminded me that the word “weird” was originally related to fate. It comes to us from the Weird Sisters, also known as the Three Witches. They prophesied the destinies of characters in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. You can listen to Miriam talk about embracing your inner weirdo and bringing more playfulness into your creativity on her podcast.

These reminders are so helpful to me. There have been so many times in my life I’ve tried so hard to fit in, including as a poet, that it’s sometimes hard for me to trust that what’s weird in me, in the way I think and the way I write, is the very thing that makes my work most interesting—to myself and to others. It’s also just a whole lot more fun to live and write from that weirdness.

The point isn’t to try to be quirky or odd for its own sake. It’s to be authentically, uniquely who I am—as a creative, poet, spiritual being, human being, friend, wife. One of my goals for the summer is to more fully embrace my weirdness in my poetry.

I hope you’ll join me. I’d love to hear how embracing your inner weirdo makes your writing more interesting and fun.

Yours in spirit,

Sandra