Writing Tip: Share Your Work
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- 9/5/2009 |
- 10:00 am
You would think, with everything that goes into writing, that this would be the easy part. And yet it's often quite difficult for young writers to find the courage to actually open up and allow others to read their work. Let's talk about that...
Wanna know why I can write about this topic? Because I was exactly the same way; I would write and write and write, compiling story after story, but they ended up in a manila folder in a desk drawer.
People often describe writing as a lonely pursuit, that many writers are basically shy by nature, and l think that's probably accurate. When I'm hosting the morning radio show, I'm very outgoing and confident. But in my personal life, I'm a bit more reserved. That's reflected in the insecurity I showed as a young writer. I would craft the stories without much of a problem, but I was afraid to ever submit them for publication, or even to allow friends to read them.
Here's a tip to help you with that. Start by showing some of your work to your closest friend, or a family member. It's important to understand that their critique isn't necessarily what you're looking for; in fact, it will usually be misleading, because they love you and don't want to hurt your feelings. But that's good, actually; it will give you a tiny bit of confidence.
Next, try giving your work to a few other select friends. Perhaps a teacher that you admire would be a good source. Gradually you can work your way up to your school paper, or a blog that you follow. The idea is to get yourself accustomed to simply handing off your work. You want eyeballs. The more you do it, the more comfortable you'll become.
And, when you've done that enough times, you'll be ready to submit your work professionally. And no, your age doesn't matter at all. Find a market that fits your writing, and submit submit submit.
You can pen the greatest story ever, or a world-class article, but what good is that if they're gathering dust in a drawer?
