Sharing your writing with others takes courage. You expose yourself to criticism. You show the vulnerable side of you. You speak up your mind in a way others may not agree with. You give up control. It can be frightening, but also liberating.
People often tell me that they would like to start a blog, but that they don’t feel comfortable sharing their writing with others. Or that they have a blog, but they don’t dare post anything on it. They worry that their English or their grammar isn’t good enough. That nobody will care about their writing.
You know, it’s not about the grammar. Mine isn’t perfect, either. It’s more about the sincerity of your writing. Writing that comes out of your natural urge to write is usually the writing that has to be shared. It doesn’t matter what it’s about.
For many months my blog was on private. It wasn’t just fear. My first posts made it so. I had to slowly build up the courage to make it public. But the satisfaction when people started reading it was amazing.
Still, there’s plenty of writing on my computer that I don’t feel courageous enough to share with you or with anyone. Manuscripts that may never be read by anyone, not because they aren’t good, but because there’s writing that we write just for the reader in us.
Writing that has to be shared with others calls to be shared. You’ll feel that itch inside to press publish, to text or email it, to print it and hand it over to someone. It’s good to listen to that call when it’s there. It’s good to share your writing with others.
Sharing your writing is an act of giving. It can resonate with other people in a way that nothing you can say or do in life can. It can touch people and connect you to them, making both of you more aware and increase the depth of your presence.
The worst that can happen is for nobody to read it. But then only your ego will get hurt. Because nothing that we write is ever wasted, even if it ends up crumpled in the trash bin. All we write is read by the reader in us, and it changes who we are. In that sense, we’re never alone, not entirely so?
Is sharing your writing with others easy? Do you ever struggle with it?
boy with a hat 
Sharing work in progress is hard; it’s as if other eyes might somehow wound its vulnerable, unfinished soul. Finished work I share gladly, for it is clad in all the armour I could offer. That is not to say the armour is perfect, nor that it is actually armour—it is merely that I am to receive criticism. Or praise. Or nothing. When the writing is ready for its first flight in the open air, I do not clip its wings. They are no longer mine to clip.
Well said. I don’t share writing in progress, you know. Many authors advise against it. Sometimes we have to, but that is only rarely.
Of course it depends with whom also, and I know people who thrive on the (positive) feedback that they receive. So, as always, it depends …
I do struggle, but I’ve decided I want to write, and I shouldn’t care whether anyone like my posts. But I do care, so the struggle is real. I will persevere. It takes all the courage I can muster to post my work, but I believe it’s worth it.
Thank you, for your post. It is inspiring 🙂
Hi! I notice all of your post are so good.. I’m a newbie in blogging. I’d like get some tips or advises from you on how I improve my blog to look better and I hope you can give me any suggestions:) Thank you!
Just write. Improvement comes naturally in time, with every new post . 🙂
Thanks for sharing this. I have to agree. Sharing our thoughts with other people can be both frightening and liberating. It takes courage to make ourselves so vulnerable. I’m a writer. I haven’t published anything yet but I plan to seek an agent when I feel my works are ready for prime time. I’ve been a member on a writing site for one and a half year. Thanks to my wonderful fellow writers with their thoughtful comments, I’ve improved tremendously. This wouldn’t have been possible had I remained locked inside my shell. The whole process has boosted up my confidence. Every time I share my writng with others the only thing I experience is bubbling joy and excitement.
https://lilaiamoreliwordsaresacred.wordpress.com/
So true! Very nice post! It’s nice to see someone ese out there having the same thoughts and feeling scared at the beginning especially. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this post. It definitely resonated with me. I used to get so nervous hitting publish on my posts, but I enjoy being able to write and getting my thoughts out in the abyss. Sometimes I feel silly cause I do wonder if someone is actually reading! But your perspective of that we write is read by the reader within us, I absolutely love.
Sometime it just easy to write for only myself, with absence of feeling being judged. But when I need to write for public or for others to see, Its just really a burden. Then ‘what if’ comes. What if nobody reads,what if its not enough. But I do understand now, there will always a reader inside us. Thanks for sharing.
🙂
This is a great post. The thoughts that run through your head before pressing that “Publish” button are frightening, however, I have only started blogging as part of my college course so I haven’t done many. I know I may write a lot of rubbish but I realise now that having the guts to post that rubbish is positive and a big deal – its officially out there for the world to see (well if they choose to). Blogging is actually quite liberating as it gives you a new voice that others may or may not agree with and it’s all about just going for it.
I’ve been blogging for a short amount of time now and I have yet to tell people from home about it. Less than a handful of people know that I like to write at all and I guess it’s because I’m shy. I’ve shared it with the rest of the world, but it’s easier because no one knows me 🙂
It takes time. It’s 6 (or so) deleted blogs for me and counting. But I come back to it every single time. Like a bad relationship we cannot live without. ><
I'd like to think that I learnt from them, and got better at it though. Or rather, I know I have. As much as I wished? Maybe, maybe not? 🙂
Agreed on a point that writer should have courage to share their thoughts .Nice to meet you.
great post…very relateable.
Thank you for the post, it tells a lot of things I feel about writing. Some times I write things on the blog post and for some reason, I don’t hit publish and after some time I go back and read the post and change it completely .I have some write up on word document’s or word press draft and leave it over there for me to go and read it later.
Hi Vincent, I just found your blog today and just getting started reading some of your posts. I love it.
My own blog I began over three years ago now and it’s taken me all this time to develop a consistent writing practice, though I do hide a lot behind poetry.
It’s really awesome what you have done, teaching yourself English and committing to the writing life. A life a daily editing and improvement.
I always aspire to improve myself and my work, after reading your blog I feel a little inspired to write a little bit more prose and essays on my blog and share myself a little more.
Mel
Nice of you to say that. I’ve been reading your poetry for many months now — if it is indeed hiding, it is a graceful way to hide, like sunshine behind the curtains.
That’s really nice of you and very much appreciated. Mel.
I have recently re-discovered writing after many busy years of being a wife, mother and running a business, all of which I still am. In my younger days, writing poetry was my forte but now blogging has taken my interest. Writing is an art form and those that can write should share the masterpieces that they create. Write to inspire others as it is your soul wanting to express itself in words. Yes, it does take courage. I definitely agree.
I totally agree!! If you are truly passionate about something, you do it for the sake of art. Nothing is wasted in the Flow state.
Sharing my writing is not easy but if i want to improve my writing I need eyes on my work. I do struggle with sharing though. It scares me.
It’s gotten easier for me. I had my blog for years before I started posting regularly. It helps that I’ve had positive responses from real life friends.
“Writing that comes out of your natural urge to write is usually the writing that has to be shared.” Thank you……this speaks to me….I started less than a month ago.
Such a useful post for me! Sometimes it is not easy for me even to write a comment to a post, which I like!
I do relate to this. For many months I have been thinking to start blog, but never seemed to be serious. However, as said “its never tool late”, I finally posted one. I sidelined my fear of grammatical mistakes and whether it will connect to people or not, I just put my heart out.
Request all to go through my first post: http://wp.me/p8M2Ac-b
Nice post! I agree with what you say. Every piece of writing is valuable, even the stuff you don’t think is good, because you learn and evolve from there!
I came across this post at just the right moment. I’ve recently made my blog public, and am feeling quite vulnerable about it, so this is a great reminder – that what we write is never wasted, that it’s read by the reader in us and, my main hope, that it will lead to connections with others.
I’m slowly reading through your previous posts and finding that much of your writing really resonates with me. You have great, encouraging advice for new bloggers, too. Thank you. I’m very glad to have found your blog.
I write poetry at sophiapoetryandetceterar.wordpress.com
This is so true and extremely powerful- thank you for the reminder
Reblogged this on WILDsound Writing and Film Festival Review.
This hit me hard. These past couple days, I’ve been seriously considering changing my major and branching out into the field of either literature or writing overall. However, my parents (and myself) are concerned I won’t be able to take the criticism that comes with a writing career. Of course, there’s going to be criticism no matter what the field, but I’m also aware of the hundreds of rejection letters I will likely receive sending my material to publishers and authors.
I think while everyone and anyone can write, because everyone has a voice, it’s a huge step to actually share your material with others because you’re opening yourself up to potential negative feedback. However, I also think this is something natural and necessary, and a part of progressing as writers. We’re simply polishing up the way the discuss, so it’s nothing to take personally, right?
Thanks for sharing. This made me reflect yet again on what I want to accomplish as a writer. 🙂
angieyhsim.wordpress.com
I actually never really felt scared to show my writing to anyone. I only started liking writing a few years ago and it became an interesting hobby for me. As a reader, I always loved talking about the books I read, so I got excited about sharing my work. So, I started my blog. I guess the only time I really get nervous is sharing my work is when I need to do it for school or show it to my teacher or read it out loud. So, I can’t say I’m scared or confident about my work.
I literally just made this blog today and im trembling. You’re right, its so hard