The writer's oracle
When every idea says pick ME!
Welcome to another edition of my occasional newsletter where I answer a question that I have received on the topic of writing by using Numerology oracle. I try to write a response in such a way that it is both beneficial to the querant but also any other interested readers.
A few weeks ago I received a question from the lovely
Thank you for your question Simone š. 44 In the realm of creativity and especially on Substack reminds you that inspiration will often appear as a gust of wind: strong enough to lift you, dangerous enough to scatter you, valuable enough to reshape your path.
The question of what to prioritise your book, your poetry, Substack, writing in your native language or in English fits naturally within the message of 44. It teaches that not everything arriving at your door deserves the same degree of welcome. Many ideas may present themselves at once, each seductive, each urgent. The 44 says: Do not follow the impulse; follow the necessity.
On Substack, necessity takes the form of resonance + sustainability. What is the project that returns to you again and again, not through excitement but through gravity? Which idea keeps āmeeting youā even when you try to put it aside? That is your central creative partner.
For many writers, Substack functions not as the destination but the meeting place where recurring obsessions, developing themes, and fragments of future books first appear. If one of your projects naturally generates short reflections, recurring insights, or serial forms, then Substack is the natural container for that idea.
Number 44 also implies do not overcommit. Itās an influence of strong beginnings that can become overwhelming if unmanaged. In practical terms: donāt try to launch all projects at once. Choose the project that organises the others. For many writers, this means choosing the format that provides the most stable rhythm. Substackās cadence, weekly, biweekly, even monthly can serve as an anchor that supports the development of a book or poetry collection without competing with them so it is wise to continue to pursue this platform as you currently are doing.
As for language, 44 advises: meet the reader who is already arriving. If your creative encounters - your readers, your communities, your responses tend to appear in English, that is the language you cultivate for Substack. If your deepest voice emerges in your native language, honour that voice in long-form or poetic work. You do not need to force one language to dominate all domains; instead, allow each project to choose its own tongue. It is about the natural interaction between forces -the writer, reader, platform, language- without coercion.
Finally, 44 urges attention to the seed, not the storm. The sudden influx of ideas is the storm. The seed is the one idea that contains a seasonās worth of growth. Your task is not to silence the many ideas but to recognise which one carries the strongest, most sustainable creative impulse. Prioritise the project that keeps returning. Write regularly on Substack to cultivate clarity. Let the book and poetry grow from that steady meeting place.
What type of creator are you? Mini quiz
You are a creator with dozens of ideas popping into your head at once. What do you do first?
1.Pick one idea and start immediately.
2.Write down all the ideas to return to later.
3.Drift from idea to idea without committing.
4.Freeze and do nothing.
Interpretation:
1: Decisive starter.
2: Organized dreamer.
3: Explorer of possibilities.
4: Overwhelmed visionary.
Thank you dear reader for reading. Feel free to share your results and If you have a question about writing that you would like me to put to the Writer's Oracle in future do let me know and don't forget to choose a number. Wishing you a lovely weekend. Speak soon š Rx
This is such a resonant, grounding piece, Ruth. The line āDo not follow the impulse; follow the necessityā stopped me in my tracks. Iāve never heard it put that way before, and yet itās exactly what I needed to hear. I really felt the wisdom of 44 woven throughout, the reminder to centre what keeps calling you back quietly, not what shouts the loudest.
I loved how you framed Substack as a meeting place, not a final destination, that metaphor gave me so much clarity. And the language guidance? Incredibly freeing. I often struggle with what belongs where, and this gave me full permission to let the voice of each piece decide its home.
As for the quiz: I'm probably a mix of 2 and 4, an organised dreamer with visionary overwhelm. š šš„°
Thank you for this. You really bring intuition and structure together in such a nourishing way.
Are you a numerologist or just fascinated by the subject?