I’ve been a writer since I was 11. I’ve written short stories, poetry, novels, newsletters, articles and blog posts. It took a lot of practice to find out exactly what I should be writing about. I guess I can say that at 48, I have it mostly figured out but that could change.
Being that 80% of the writing I’ve done hasn’t been read by more than 25 people, you would think I would have given up by now. But no, I was just practicing at first, getting my feet wet. Now, it’s all about building a business. That’s been my goal for the past year and I’d like to think I’m crushing it but I’ll let you be the judge of that.
Exploring Your Why
In order to become a good writer, you must know why you even want to do it. Is it something you’re just curious about? Have you read a lot of books and decided that was something you can do? People have many reasons for picking a passion. But honestly, your passion finds you. You just have to be able to recognize it when you see it.
I’ve always enjoyed learning and I like to share what I’ve learned with others. Believe me it’s not ego driven because I am an introvert. I almost said the word “extreme” but I’ve loosened up over the years.
When I know people are struggling, I have to do what I can to help them.
That’s why I write.
Embracing Fear and Resistance
Yes, I used to be an extreme introvert. But I managed to step out of my comfort zone when I needed to.
- Presentations in school
- Instructing training classes
- Spoken Word Events
- YouTube videos
I’ve done everything I could think of to overcome my fears. I’d like to say that I’m 80% extroverted now but that 20% is still calling to me from a corner. Wanting me to step back into the shadows.
I know you’re thinking, Susie, what does this have to do with writing fears? Everything. Scary people are scared of more than one thing. If you think about it, once you learn to live with one piece of anxiety, you can probably deal with the others.
Finding Your Voice
I never had a problem writing, my problem was sharing that writing with other people. I figured if I could learn how to talk about what I had written, writing for public consumption would be a piece of cake. The thing is I did a lot of self-editing during my presentations. I may have had all kinds of foolishness written on my paper but when I said it outloud it had to be polished.
It took me years to figure out that I was editing myself out of my content. When I learned to voice some of that foolishness, it helped my audience resonate with the lessons that I taught them. That’s called balance. The best of both worlds. Just a little bit of foolishness sprinkled in between words of wisdom.
Cultivating Meaningful Stories
One reason why I was afraid to write when I was younger was because I didn’t feel like I knew a lot about life. At least not enough to be able to help people. Well, in the last few years, that fear has flown out the window. If I wanted to, I can give advice on multiple things:
- Family
- Relationships
- Marriage
- Midlife Crisis
- Retirement
- Disability
- Crafting
- Spirituality
The list is never-ending but I would rather stick with certain subjects. The areas that I feel that I can provide the most value in. But since I am a human that writes for humans, pieces of stories from this list of subjects will be weaved in when appropriate.
To be a writer you must believe in the value of your words. You have a lot of lessons to share, so don’t waste them.
Nurturing Your Writing Purpose
Once you know what purpose you serve with your writing, do what you have to do to stay on track. Remember all of the questions you had when you were younger and write about that. If you were confused about something, I’m sure thousands of other people are just as confused now.
Be the solution that you wish you had.
Conclusion
This is a journey of self-discovery and finding purpose in your writing. Embrace your fear, find your voice, and cultivate meaningful stories. All these steps are crucial. Nurturing your writing purpose keeps you aligned with your goals and audience needs. Remember:
- Know Your Why: Discover your motivation and passion for writing.
- Embrace Fear: Overcome fears and resistance through stepping out of your comfort zone.
- Find Your Voice: Balance authenticity with refinement to connect deeply with your audience.
- Cultivate Meaningful Stories: Share valuable insights and experiences that resonate with readers.
- Nurture Your Writing Purpose: Stay focused on providing solutions and value to your readers.
Believe in the impact of your words and continue to grow as a writer on your purposeful journey.