What Writing as a Non-native Speaker for 1 Year Has Taught Me
A journey of overcoming self-doubt and staying consistent
Last year, in April, I published my first article here.
Like most writers who took the first step, I wasn’t sure if I had IT to hit publish but I did it anyway.
Then the journey began.
I never mentioned anything about being a non-native speaker in my articles, I didn’t want this to be a thing for me to write (or not to).
I want my content to reflect who I am, what I have been through and what I’ve learned along the way. In return, I know my audiences appreciate what I shared and also share the same feelings I wrote about.
I am grateful for all these so below is what I’ve learned during the year.
Don’t Wait to Be Perfect to Get Started
I hesitated before I started to write on Medium, worrying about how I was supposed to write a proper article, not to mention English isn’t my first language.
The last time I wrote an article in English was when I was in high school preparing for college entry exams.
Although I had been keeping my language skills sharp as much as I could, when I tried to write it down, it was very different from just listening or speaking.
Writing is a retention of consolidated thoughts and knowledge.
Writing helps me sort out my thoughts. I still remember the sense of not being sure where to start when I was writing my first piece, it was like solving a puzzle but don’t know where to start.
“You gotta hit publish or it’ll always be a draft.” After a couple of rounds of revising, I said to myself.
Until I read something about writing saying that trying too hard to write a perfect article is like ‘wearing a tuxedo to a pool party’, and it hit me! That was me, trying hard to use intriguing storytelling and intelligent wording so as not to bore the readers.
So after I checked the grammar was all good and the structure was clear, I clicked publish.
That was much easier than I thought!
Making Introspection a Friend and Writing About It Made Me Grow
I write about mindset and personal growth which requires me to often have conversations with myself.
No one told me introspection could be this haaard!
There were always some types of conversation I tried to avoid so I’d have a moment of peace. But at the end of the day, I just had to face it or it’d show itself to me in another situation.
You must have one of those moments when you look messy and don’t wanna even look at yourself in the mirror right? That was how I felt when I had to be introspective and to put it down with words was even more difficult. “Why did I do this to myself?”
The good thing is, the more uncomfortable conversations I had with myself, the more at ease I was. Gradually, I got used to tapping into my inner strength and found wisdom there.
Whenever I have some thoughts, even just an idea, it’s important to write it down somewhere I can work on later. Some might lie in the draft. Some might turn into articles. But to get started, it is essential to have the awareness to write them down no matter how small they might seem at that moment.
Be Genuine and Put Your Heart In the Words
When reading on Medium, it’s obvious if a writer puts himself/herself into the content.
When I write about personal growth and life lessons, it’s impossible not to put myself in it. After all, I am writing about my journey and lessons.
But it’s different from writing a journal. It’s not just to let it all out. I share my vulnerability with the audience online and hope to inspire them in return.
Those pieces of mine that have the most views and claps are the ones I felt most touched, even teared up when writing. It was like writing a soulful song that sang goodbye to the old me.
When I tell the story, I can feel the words flowing. The emotions also flow as I write. That’s quite a wonderful experience I have never had before.
We all know with some prompts AI can give us various options as well. But if you are expressing yourself with words through learnings and lessons, that’s something AI can never do.
Build a System and Go for the Long Game
When I started to write, all I knew was the fact I enjoyed writing, and seeing the audience grow and enjoy what I wrote was also rewarding. I want to keep writing as a long-term habit of mine and that was it, nothing grand at all.
In the beginning, I was aiming to improve the use of words and find my style of writing. So I set a goal and kept publishing 1 piece every week for a couple of months.
I had my days planned for writing, polishing, and publishing on different days of every week. During this I discovered I am most inspired at the weekend but most efficient during work days. Find your own pace and keep at it.
There sure are times when I can’t just squeeze another idea out of my brain. Don’t blame yourself for not ‘feeling it’. Put your pen/laptop down and do what makes you feel at ease. Make sure to take breaks, get plenty of sleep, and stay active.
Don’t forget to celebrate every small win. I enjoy writing as much as I enjoy seeing the number of followers and claps increase after every publication.
To wrap up, it’s about showing up consistently, always learning, and keeping an eye on the bigger picture.
Final Thoughts
The more I write the more I feel that writing is not just about stories or articles, it’s about expressing the authentic self and connecting with others. It’s a journey that never truly ends.
See you in the next one!
