Overview
Stoicism is a fascinating philosophy originating from the ancient world.
It’s a philosophy designed to make us more resilient, happier, more virtuous and more wise–and as a result, better people, better parents and better professionals.
Although this philosophy can be applied to many aspects of life, in this article, we'll look at how it can help us accomplish our writing goals while enjoying the process.
We'll look at Stoicism quotes from a few of the prominent Stoic philosophers of the ancient world:
- Marcus Aurelius
- Epictetus
- Seneca
Marcus Aurelius Quotes
Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor (161–180 CE) and the author of Meditations, a personal journal of Stoic reflections. His leadership was marked by a commitment to Stoic principles, including self-discipline and duty, making him an exemplar of philosophy in action.
It’s time you realized that you have something in you more powerful and miraculous than the things that affect you and make you dance like a puppet.
With this quote, Marcus reminds us that each of us harbors unique experiences and perspectives. This uniqueness can be synthesized in the stories we write and share with the world.
The stories we write are little windows into our thoughts and feelings. Regardless of which subgenre of fiction we pick, we have the power to influence people's lives for the better.
There are many things that, as Marcus says, make us dance like a puppet — that is, keep us under their utmost control. Although not around in his time, social media and activities that provide easy and fast access to dopamine keep many people from sharing (or even acknowledging) the "something" Marcus refers to. By liberating ourselves of activities that control our lives, and arming ourselves with a healthy dose of discipline, we can reflect, refine, and ultimately share our unique perspectives with the world through writing.
External things are not the problem. It’s your assessment of them. Which you can erase right now.
A key tenet of Stoicism is internalizing our goals, which means being intentional about not placing any satisfaction or fulfillment in the hands of others. Fear of receiving negative reviews or criticism holds a lot of writers back from ever sharing their work. However, the only thing about criticism that can truly harm us is the way we experience it internally.
By "assessment", Marcus is referring to the way we see negative comments. If we frame them as "I'm a terrible writer", then we will make ourselves miserable; if we frame it objectively, we will relieve ourselves from anxiety and suffering.
Let's look at some examples of how a Stoic would frame a negative comment on our piece of writing:
- I'm new to writing, so it's expected that my prose won't be excellent, to begin with.
- This person didn't like my novel, so it probably means it's not for them, but there may be others who enjoy it.
You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.
We are all guilty, at some point in our lives, of telling ourselves "I won't do this now; there's a better time for this". Maybe I'll start writing when I complete my project at work, and be less stressed. Maybe I'll attempt my first draft while on holiday, as I'll have more time.
Stoicism reminds us of the finite nature of life, and that it could end at any moment. We take tomorrow for granted, a defense mechanism that our brain enacts to keep us sane. (After all, we wouldn't be able to relax if we truly felt that we could leave this earth at any moment, so our brain makes us feel certain that tomorrow we'll still be around.) With this in mind, if we want to write a story, we shouldn't wait for tomorrow, as in the mind of a Stoic, that's an arrogant thought — we don't own tomorrow. Instead, we should start now, as the present moment is the only time we can be certain that we have.
Seneca Quotes
Seneca, a statesman, playwright, and advisor to Emperor Nero, explored Stoicism in his essays and letters. His works emphasize the importance of inner tranquility, self-control, and the acceptance of fate, offering practical wisdom for navigating life’s challenges.
We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more in imagination than in reality.
Just like Marcus Aurelius, Seneca emphasizes that, more often than not, we are the cause of our suffering. The way we perceive and experience events internally is the source of suffering, rather than the events themselves. In the context of writing, receiving one negative comment can easily overwhelm one hundred positive ones — such is the nature of human psychology.
This isn't to say that external things can't hurt us. Rather, we spend a considerable amount of time suffering in our minds, by hypothesizing about everything that could go wrong, so that we don't have to suffer later. While this is a useful evolutionary tool, it can have negative consequences such as experiencing Analysis Paralysis, living in a state of anxiety, and ultimately giving up on your publishing dreams.
Most of us are used to living in fear of being hurt. This is caused, in part, by a modern obsession with comfort, and an unhealthy belief that everyone should always like what we do. But there's nothing further from the truth: if enough people read your book, and everyone loves it, someone is probably lying.
Nothing, to my way of thinking, is a better proof of a well ordered mind than a man’s ability to stop just where he is and pass some time in his own company.
As a writer, our job can feel lonely and isolating. Our working environment is likely quiet and away from other people. On the contrary, today's world is one full of external stimulation and a million distractions: the sound of traffic, your phone buzzing, your friends trying to reach you.
Seneca believed a "well-ordered mind" should be able to sit and spend time alone. Not watching YouTube videos, or listening to an audiobook — but true, distraction-free alone time.
This trait can be a wonderful psychological advantage if you dream of being a writer: if you're comfortable with being alone, and enjoy deep working sessions in your private space, then you're probably not going to hate the hours you spend on your own while writing your book.
A tip for those who do need a social element to their work, or else feel miserable: you may try writing in groups, with partners, joining non-writing study groups, public libraries, and writing in coffee shops.
This is our big mistake: to think we look forward to death. Most of death is already gone. Whatever time has passed is owned by death.
Lastly, Seneca's perspective on death is unique: death is not an event that happens at a point in time. It's a process that occurs gradually. The time in your past is dead and has passed. In this perspective, death is personified and "owns" the time in your past.
This unique insight urges us to act now rather than wait. There is no better time to kick-start our dreams than now, whether you've yet to write your first sentence, complete your draft, or press "publish".
Epictetus Quotes
Epictetus, born a slave, became a respected teacher of Stoicism after gaining his freedom. His teachings, recorded by his student Arrian in The Discourses and Enchiridion, focus on mastering one's thoughts and emotions, promoting a philosophy of inner freedom regardless of external circumstances.
Don’t seek for everything to happen as you wish it would, but rather wish that everything happens as it actually will—then your life will flow well.
The quote above brings to mind the phrase "Be careful what you wish for". We all look up to somebody who achieved success in the area we're passionate about. Yet we must be careful not to wish for something unattainable — the success of another. Instead, we should wish for our own path that unfolds how it's supposed to (the Stoics believe that three deities, the "Three Fates", weave the fabric of destiny and that your life was predetermined by them). If we wish for this, then we'll be content with the outcome.
The Three Fates, source: https://vocal.media/futurism/ways-of-worship-the-fates
That isn't to say that we shouldn't strive for achievement. Many Stoics rose up the hierarchies of their time, were wealthy and powerful, and acted in the best interest of their society. But as negative outcomes occur (for instance your manuscript is rejected by an agent you wanted to represent you), then we must accept this happened, and is part of our path. Many of us torture ourselves with questions such as "What if", "I should've", or "I shouldn't have". These are useful questions insofar as they help us learn from our mistakes, but past that, they are merely a psychological torture that should be avoided at all costs.
Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.
A great story contains an underlying theme or philosophy. Perhaps it's a message you want to share with the world, or perhaps you've encoded an undeniable truth of human nature into your story.
Writing stories helps us reflect and grow as human beings, and by consciously and intentionally embodying the themes we write about, we can enhance this process of growth. We can become more like the stories and the messages we write about, showing the world that we stand by what we say.
“Curb your desire—don’t set your heart on so many things and you will get what you need.
Writers are cursed with a million ideas and the time to focus on just a few. In my own writing practice, I found extreme focus and deep work to be the only effective solution to this problem. Cutting out ideas, knowing we'll never get to them in our lifetime, is a difficult but necessary process.
In the same vein, writing is a domain in which success can take many forms. Awards, prizes, best-selling lists, and X million copies sold are a few examples.
Epictetus reminds us that we have the power to choose what we desire and that by choosing a small set of things we truly care about, we increase our chances of getting them.
This ancient idea has made its way into modern society. In the words of Cal Newport, author of Slow Productivity (a book I strongly recommend picking up):
- Do fewer things.
- Do them at a natural pace.
- Obsess over quality.
Conclusion
In this article, we looked at a few quotes from prominent Stoic philosophers of the ancient world. They teach us that:
- We have the power to choose what we desire.
- We can, if we wish, be immune to external criticism, and stop torturing ourselves internally.
- There is no better time to begin (or continue) your writing journey than now.
I invite you to write these learning on a Post-it note and stick it somewhere you see them often. Fear of criticism and a belief that "we'll always have tomorrow" stop many from pursuing their writing dreams. These Stoic ideas remind us that we don't have to be like that too.