Write for the Universe, Not for Followers

Why “let’s follow and support each other” stifles your creativity

A Universe Within — image AI-generated by the author

“Follow me, and I’ll follow you back.” It reads like an outstretched hand, but it’s often an empty promise. Who really wins here? And who is ultimately left empty-handed?

As a new writer, I feel the temptation to try it too. After all, you want to be read when you barely have an audience. I’m inclined to react and follow others. And funnily enough, I’m also tempted to see if that trick can work for me.

But it’s a pyramid scheme where only those at the top benefit.

I sometimes get annoyed by these things, but that doesn’t change anything. There will always be people who do this, sometimes without any ill intent. But I don’t want to devote this article to the pyramid schemers. It’s much more interesting to look at what can work for us.

I don’t have a monopoly on the truth—after all, I haven’t been at this for long. But I do have a lot of work and life experience. I have insight into people, into awareness, evolution, and self-realization. I want to apply this to a roadmap that can work.

I’m walking this path myself. Perhaps you’ll find it enjoyable and useful to be on the journey together. That’s why I’d love to read your ideas, experiences, and desires later.

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Let’s go through the 5 steps I have in mind

Step 1

Acknowledge the emotion within yourself—that you might experience loneliness and uncertainty when there’s little interaction on your channel. Every writer here wants to be read, and it doesn’t feel good when things remain quiet.

Understand that this is an emotion and that you don’t have to be dependent on it. You are not your writing. If your writing isn’t embraced (yet), it doesn’t mean you are not embraced.

Your writing is an act of creation, and the universe embraces all creation. Draw confidence from this and learn from it that you are writing for the universe. This makes you independent and free; it gives you the right energy.

Step 2

The essence of Step 1 isn’t easy to integrate into your writing, let alone your entire life. Life goes on and doesn’t wait for your awakening. So, you’ll have to take Step 2 simultaneously.

Alongside creating for the universe, you can write for one ideal reader. That one reader is more valuable than a thousand vague followers. Visualize who your ideal reader is and write from your heart directly to them.

You could see it as a writing contest: “My ideal reader, to whom I entrust my creation.” Use all your senses. What does he love? What does she enjoy reading? Your creations, of course.

Step 3

During this step, Steps 1 and 2 will continue to develop. It’s never finished. You are never finished. They are always intermediate stages. Make peace with interim results, but also understand that you start over again afterward.

Discover other writers. Read their work. Observe their interactions. What do you think they do well? What can you learn from that? Does it make you want to apply their creativity to your own work? Writing is also reading.

Engage with other writers who resonate with you and build a small network of like-minded people. Expect nothing in return. When you give sincerely, what you need will naturally find its way to you.

Step 4

You can probably guess that I’m going to say the previous three steps keep having an effect. Everything in life is a cycle. Until we can spiral out of the circle. Up close, we run in circles. From a distance, we make leaps.

Two insights are incredibly important. First, you must keep writing. Writing, writing, and more writing. Not just because practice makes perfect, but because you keep calling out to the universe.

Second, you must realize there will be more valleys than peaks. By all means, enjoy your peaks, but don’t be sad in the valleys. Even if a valley seems endless, a valley can only exist if there are also peaks.

Step 5

Write for the universe. Write for your ideal reader. Write for the art. Write for the creation. Once your words leave you, they are no longer yours. It doesn’t matter anymore. Not really.

Of course, you want to be read. Of course, interaction is nice. Of course, attention is wonderful. Those are the peaks. That happens outside of you. You are not that. So what are you? What do you think?

Writing is a life lesson. You can sit wonderfully in a quiet valley and look at the starry sky. That’s where it happens. You are the universe. Can you feel that? Do you want to feel that? Do you want to write about it?

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My question for you

Will you let me know what this article brings up for you? What is your experience with ‘following for the sake of following’?

I’d love to hear your immediate, uncensored reaction. And if possible, share your experiences again in a week or so.

The reason I’m asking is that I can learn from it, and our fellow writers can be helped by it too. Our meaningful interaction is so much more important than following for the sake of following. Thanks in advance!

Happy writing!

Peaceful Cosmic Contemplation — image AI-generated by the author