You Don’t Have to Be A Great Writer — Just An Authentic One
I’m not the best writer in the world and I never will be.
There was once a time where I aspired to be the best writer on the planet. One that would knock your socks off with deep metaphors, complicated prose, and hilarious anecdotes. One that would be published in huge international publications and be recognized all over the world. One that, most importantly, would make millions of dollars.
There was one big problem, however, and that was I didn’t feel like I was good enough.
Impostor Syndrome is Killing Your Chances of Success
You see, deep down in the recesses of my mind, I had a burgeoning fear that my writing wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t James Joyce or Harper Lee. My writing, and voice, weren’t up to par and one day I would be revealed as a total fraud — sent packing back to my day job making drinks behind a bar.
My plan? To mask and disguise my intrinsically subpar voice and create one that nobody could reject.
I now realize that this is a horrible plan. You see, by abandoning my true voice and trying to create one that would please everyone, I risked sacrificing the most important thing about writing — authenticity.
I’m not the best writer in the world and chances are, neither are you — and that's ok. You see, great content writing isn’t made by big words, fancy analogies, and incandescent similies — it’s made by a sense of authenticness.
The Paradox of Great Writing
The best things in life seem to happen for us when we stop trying. Whether it’s dating, happiness, or creativity, true progress is made when we stop forcing ourselves to perform and embrace the process instead.
Writing is no different. For me, my best writing happens when I stop trying to get myself into ‘creative mode’. I’ll abandon an article if I’m not feeling it. I’ll not write for a few days if what I’m crafting is total trash. When I’m going through a creative block, I’ll focus on the marketing side of freelancing instead.
Creatvity works on a law of diminishing returns. The more you try, the less creavity you’ll be. When my aspiration was merely to be a ‘great’ writer, the worse (and less authentic) my writing got.
Aim For Authenticness In Your Writing
The biggest and most valuable tool that you have in your locker is your voice. Nobody has lived the life you’ve lived and nobody has the stories to tell that you have.
Here’s the key about platforms such as this one — readers want a voice they can resonate with. After all, why should they take the time out of their day to read your writing? Why should they pay for a membership with their hard-earned money? Well, I can’t speak for everyone, but personally, I joined this platform to read organic, authentic voices from people all over the world.
I didn’t join this platform to read robotic, characterless pieces. I joined for your experiences, your stories — nobody else’s.
Your voice is the most valuable asset — don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. If you can aim to be the most authentic writer in the world rather than the ‘best’, then you’ll be well on your way to success.
My Recommendation
Speaking of authentic writing, I really enjoyed this piece by Jake Hilden. Check it out!
