You!
As we draw near to the end of the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge, where I’ve been blogging almost daily (including my Sunday Devotions, I have been blogging every day), and some of you have been reading every single one of these articles, I want to take a moment to recognize YOU, my readers/followers/friends.
Writers write to be read. I’m not denying that many writers have an urge to write, and they would still write even if no-one else looked at their work. But I think ultimately, when that urge to write has been fulfilled by a completed story (whether flash fiction, short story, or novel), the writer wants other people to read his or her work, and hopefully gain enjoyment from it–perhaps even be changed by it. Who wouldn’t want that?
Granted, there is that fear of showing your work to others that needs to be overcome. And I believe this fear is heightened by the fact that the writer wants to show his or her work but is afraid of rejection. The only way to overcome this is to bite the bullet and put your work out there for the world to see, and slowly gain confidence as a result.
This is where YOU come in. This blog is me putting myself out there–not just with the fiction I’ve written, but with every post, every thought, every life story, and every YouTube clip. And the fact I have visitors blesses me no end. Even more that I have repeat visitors. And mind-blowingly, that I have visitors who follow me, adding my blog to their RSS, or clicking the Linky Followers widget, or both. To know that there are people out there reading this stuff, commenting, and encouraging me when something I write is worthy of encouragement, helps make me bolder. Thanks to you guys, I am becoming less doubt-ridden, and more confident about showing my stories. I actually think perhaps I can make a go of this writing lark.
So THANK YOU!! Every visitor, every follower, every commenter. This blog would be pointless without YOU. 🙂
This community is great for inspiring confidence. I’m still totally chicken about sharing my writing, but the support of these wonderful people we communicate with daily has allowed me to become more brave. Glad that you feel the same way! 🙂
Oh, but Jaime, you regularly share your writing with every blog article. I know it’s not quite the same as your fiction, but in your blog you share your voice with us. And if your fiction is anywhere near as entertaining as your blog, you’ll have a legion of fans. 🙂
Keep at it and we’ll keep coming back. Don’t keep at it and you’ll have an angry mob. So either way, we’re here to stay!
Thanks, Alex! I certainly don’t want an angry mob…! 😀
Several A-Z Challenge bloggers have written as you have , appreciating every person who has listened, encouraged, or critiqued their works in progress. Consider checking out the<a href="http://www.internetwritingworkshop.org/" title="Internet Writing Workshop" for an online community of writers. I’ve been a member for about 3 years and have found it invaluable for getting feedback on my stuff. And I’m grateful too for every reader of every blog, flash fiction, or draft chapter. Persevere!
Thanks, Beth!
Taking that first step can be daunting. Yes it means putting yourself out there for others to see. Yes it means you need to prepare yourself for all the comments, be them good or bad. But in the end, you want to be a writer partly because you have stories to share – so quit hiding behind that computer screen and get on out there!
And I think as long as you stay true to yourself, love what you do, and take it all with a grain of salt, then you’ll be able to brush off any of the negativity that comes with our trade. Sure there are going to be really tough days – but I think it’s those days, that make the good ones, even better.
Because in the end, not everyone is going to love what you write…but MANY will (and already do!). And it’s those readers that make all the difference.
Come on, Colin, you’ve got this! 🙂
Thank you for your words of encouragement, Erin. Of course, you’re right. We first have to love what we do, so we can ride the negative critiques when they come–and they will because, as you rightly point out, not everyone will like what we do. But knowing there are some out there reading and enjoying our work makes a big difference. 🙂
Awww! Thanks Colin for putting yourself out there! I really enjoy reading your blog!
As you mention we do want our writing to be read and that´s scary & challenging, the blogging community enables us to learn to share and we make wonderful connections along the way!
Sweet of you to thank your readers. I’ll be doing my thank you post on May 1st. 😀