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A Few Words of Encouragement for Writers
Photo by Jessie McCall on Unsplash
A few months ago, Giorgos Pantsios suggested I write an article about curtains. That’s all he gave me. Just . . . curtains. (Incidentally, there’s a good reason he did this.)
As I sit, staring at an image of my smiling mug on a recent article, I realized that curtains are exactly what makes a good writer . . . and a vulnerable one. Let me explain.
First of all, these are obviously figurative curtains. And the ability to open these figurative curtains is what I believe makes a writer able to connect with readers. When I read articles by my favorite writers, I feel like I get to know them personally. Whether they write about self-improvement, relationships, or writing, many of them pepper stories from their personal life into their articles. In essence, they crack open the figurative curtains of their souls.
As a reader, I eat this up. I LOVE it. I think a lot of us do. Humans crave connection with other humans. We want to feel that we have things in common with the writers we follow. By sharing personal information with their readers, writers offer up a way that we can connect with them on a human level.
The problem with opening the curtains, though, is that it makes the writer vulnerable. In a world where pretty much anyone can make any comment on any piece of writing, if writers expose personal feelings, details, or opinions in their work, those things become fair game for rude comments. We see this happen so often on social media, but it also happens on blogs, online publications, and yes, on Medium.
To make things more complicated, the more personal and honest the story, the more apt people are to connect with it. And (for me) the harder it is to share. I want to throw open the heavy drapes that I have hung to protect the sensitive little artist that lives inside me, but, well, it’s terrifying.
My writing group recently suggested that I include personal photos in a story. I reluctantly added images and sent the piece to them to review. I hoped, prayed, and crossed my fingers and toes that they would tell me to remove them. Of course, they didn’t. So, I used my photos in the piece. It was difficult for me . . . and I’m still scared. It’s hard to put yourself out there for scrutiny. It’s scary to feel exposed, to open our curtains.
But, then, if we don’t share our stories, if we become robot writing machines without incorporating our flaws or personal successes, we are less likely to inspire, motivate, or commiserate with our readers. And, for me, I think that the less connection I create with readers, the worse I’m doing at my job.
Yes, writing is scary. Sharing our mistakes and what we’ve learned from them, sharing our successes and how we achieved them, and sharing our struggles and how we’re getting through them . . . they’re all important. And they all make us vulnerable.
So I encourage you, dear writers, to throw open the curtains of your souls. Unscrew the rods and throw them in the garage. Be brave, be open, and be vulnerable. You will probably take a few on the chin, but I truly believe that, if you put more of your true self into your writing, the good will greatly outweigh the bad.
