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Don't Be Shy, Write Unabashedly For Everyone to See by Donald Turner
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Don't Be Shy, Write Unabashedly For Everyone to See |
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Education
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You are a writer, but you don't like to show your work. Art can sometimes be personal, intimate, and very dear to us, which means putting it on display is like standing naked in a forum of onlookers, open for critique and judge. But what good is it just sitting in your head or notes either, how else will you establish your reputation, unless you put it out there. Here are 5 steps for getting started on stepping outside of your comfort zone and publicizing your written word. 1. We are all experts in something A rule of thumb is to always start with something you know. My experiences differ from yours, and so do yours from the next person, making your knowledge and experiences something unique. For writers who feel the pressure of trying to sound too entertaining, start with composing a how-to article that way you offer factual expertise, instead of focusing on wit. That will come, and this will provide as a good warm up to your inner creative voice. Once you finish, post your articles on sites like this one, that share information and knowledge with others. 2. Blog Blogs are like journals and can be made public as much as you would like them to. What is nice about blogging is that it provides you with an any-topic free write any time you want. Blogs allow you to share with others, or keep the entries private. Since this is a personal writing venue, you can set up a theme to your topics, or keep it random. The more serious and confident you get, the more you can solicit your blog site out--accruing both an audience and confidence in your voice. 3. Participate in your favorite artistic medium Every writer has their beat, meaning you have your favorite stuff to read about and write about. Whether its poetry, screen writing, prose, or comic books, by now you know what you like and what you wish was out there; so change it. Your talent gives you a responsibility to the world to share what you know and like. Just think, there are some out there who are hungry for the content you can provide that does not yet exist. Submit your work to contests, online writing communities, or try to turn your writing into a published book or purchased movie. 4. Don't worry about making it right, just write Contemplative by nature, writers oftentimes sit and conjure up ideas and won't write until the plot or crises, or iambic words are in perfect harmony with the what you set out to do. This is sometimes labeled as writer's block or pure procrastination. Either way, its poor form. What you need to do as a writer, is the same thing any other expert needs to do: just do it. Of course you are entitled to brainstorming and research, but there comes a point where you must fight yourself on waiting for the right time and turn it into write time. Many writers fail to even get the words out of their head, if they never make a move on their ideas. 5. Start promoting yourself slowly When I first started to share my writing, I started small, and by that I mean one person. I believe I even hid in the other room while he read my first blog which he urged me incessantly to do before I finally folded. I was lucky to have someone who recognized my talent and push me to do something about it. I always wanted to, but I was stuck in step 4, waiting for perfection to come to me. After a few blogs, I invited a few close friends to read. I figured there would be something in there that might make them laugh or smile. Slowly, I started stepping out of my own shadow, writing more, sharing more, becoming more confident and expert in what I was talking about. I'd always been a writer, but with no one to ever read it, I never held myself accountable to do it more frequently or even completely. If you're a closet writer, I suggest a progressive step such as sharing with those who will only encourage and support your endeavor. There's no wrong answers in writing (unless we're talking editing here), all of the most esteemed writers began somewhere too. Whether you start out gingerly or throw yourself in, the important thing to remember is that everyone has a good idea, everyone thinks they could have written that story way better, but what separates the enthusiasts from the real writers? Proof. Prove your talent to those waiting to hear your story, but best of all prove it to yourself. freelance writing
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