How afraid am I to publish this?

You know you’re writing the truth when you’re terrified

If you’re afraid to write it,
that’s a good sign.
I suppose you know you’re writing the
truth when you’re terrified.

—Yrsa Daley-Ward

I discovered this quote after writing my post yesterday about how the writers that move me most are those who bare their souls.

It rings so true.

My post last week about the allure of an affair fits right into this kind of real writing that terrifies.

It made me appreciate how much easier ‘How to…’ posts are to write in comparison.

As I think about my own writing, this feels like a good question to ask myself before I post:

How afraid am I to publish this?

And if the answer is ‘Not at all’ I need to perhaps start over.

I aspire to write in a way that is real, raw, honest, vulnerable, and authentic. I want my writing to carry emotional resonance and not just practical resonance.

Honestly, I feel some distance from where I want to be. Sure some posts are closer to what I’m aiming for than others, but I look at other writers I admire and can see how much further I have to go.

Thankfully, this challenge I’ve committed to of writing every day gives me ample opportunity to improve.

Photo: Calum MacAulay