How I Learned To Like My Own Writing

Twitter is a great place to be if you’re an author. (Or a writer, or a poet, or whatever you want to call yourself. If you make symbols that create words, in any capacity, Twitter is great). Just search for the hashtags #WritingCommunity or #AmWriting, and you’re in.

The #WritingCommunity has helped me a lot. I’ve met so many amazing people on there, people who keep me entertained, people who answer questions, and people who give me ideas.

But more importantly, I’ve gotten a lot of confidence from Twitter. Confidence in my own writing.

Because one thing I’ve always struggled with, is comparing myself to others, and to what other people do. When it comes to writing, this means I often read something and think I should do this and this and this, or this, and ‘I should do this too’. Luckily (kind of), I never do. As in, I never try to copy or replicate others’ writing. But I still feel like I need to be better, because everyone else is so much better.

And this is were Twitter has helped me. Because the #WritingCommunity has showed me my style. It’s difficult to see it yourself. It’s difficult to gauge what makes you, you, and to recognize all the cool little things you do that puts you apart from everyone else.

Some of this new-found confidence I’ve gotten through actually letting people read my books, or my WIPs (works-in-progress). Feedback is invaluable, there’s nothing like some great praise or criticism to either show you you’re going the right way, or put you back on track.

But through all the little games we play on Twitter, all the challenges and ideas we share, people have also showed me that they appreciate the way I write, not just what I write. And that’s gold to me. Knowing that I’m being me, doing something that’s unique to me, that shit right there makes me like my writing even more. And it gives me confidence that I can do this. I’m starting to like this whole ‘author’ thing.

And you should too! Know that there’s something that makes your writing unique, your books interesting, and your time spent as an author worthwhile. Don’t be the next someone else, be the first you.

So thank you, #WritingCommunity. Thank you for sticking around, for showing me my style, and for engaging with me. I love it – I love you.