As a freelance editor, I meet all types of authors. There are innovators, freethinkers, motivated, unmotivated, seasoned, and very green writers just to name a few. However, there is a common characteristic that all these amazing authors share; it is their insecurity.
Admit it. You may have a heavy boulder or a grain of that self-doubt, and its weight will at some time during your journey need to be addressed. But please address it.
I don’t know what may be holding you back or preventing you from creating or maybe just publishing that opus, but you must do what it takes to do it; now more than ever.
No one on the face of this planet is capable of living a life that will include all that this life has to offer. There are ups, downs, ins, and outs. There is happiness, sadness, love, hate, privilege, persecution, prejudice, freedom, and repression. Not everyone has the same family dynamics or the same income level. We live in different parts of the world and have different people in our lives that influence our opinions and life experiences. All of those things give us unique perspectives on life itself, and those are all valuable. If we don’t share those feelings and ideas with others, we are depriving them of what we have learned. Our human experience is much more full and rich if we open ourselves up to others and their viewpoints.
Many of those valuable life enhancing tidbits are in books!
I am a huge advocate for free speech, and I am against censorship. I believe that regardless of opposition, people have a right to express their perspective. Now, don’t get all crazy on me. I do believe that if that expression goes beyond words and physically intrudes on someone else’s life, then it has gone too far. But that rarely is the case with written and spoken words. Our freedom to express ourselves is being attacked, and we are seeing more and more people hiding their feelings because they are afraid that it will offend some outlying group or person.
Everyone has a right to their perspective and to express it.
If you don’t agree with someone’s opinion, you can easily walk away and not listen, or better share your perspective in a productive and civil exchange where those differences can meet and help society or change an opinion. We must not shut down information and the free exchange of ideas. The minute this happens, we lose not only those we oppose, but we will find ourselves being restricted ourselves.
You must overcome that fear and grain or boulder of self-doubt; you must take the initiative and share or publish those ideas. This isn’t restricted to non-fiction. Many of these feelings are better shared in fiction. So, please write those stories about dragons, fairies, and criminals. We are humans and need each other to thrive and live lives that are full of richness and valuable learning moments.
Write and fight for your right to publish, no matter the platform or medium.
Make your mark.
If you are ready to publish and need some direction, call me for a free consult, and I will help you free your voice and publish your work.
