5 Ways Writing Every Day Can Make You a Better Person

Advice from a fraidy cat who got braver

If you write every day, soon your friends won’t recognize you.

Writing will make you a better person — happier and more confident. You’ll look people in the eye and tell them a story. Self-honesty will define you.

Writing is free therapy, and you can get paid to do it. Writing will open the box where you’ve been hiding and give you a ride downtown.

But careful.

Writing will challenge you. Writing will expose you if you do it right — readers love vulnerability. And writing will expose you in many other ways. It will thicken your skin.

Writing in a private journal may make you a warmer, better person. But writing and publishing publically is a cold shower. That’s why very few people do it. It’s challenging at first.

I’ve been writing and publishing for 15 months, and it’s been an adventure. I hope you’ll learn something from my newbie experience.

But remember — your mileage may vary.

You’ll Gain Confidence and Reduce Your Fears

Writing is hard, and success doesn’t come easy. Only 6.4 percent of Medium writers earned more than $100 per month in 2021. So I’m not in this to make the big bucks.

I’m writing to grow as a person. But as the money follows, it’s a win-win.

But fear!

Fear of writing is right up there with public speaking. Writing is a type of public speaking. I joined Medium and thought about writing for a year. I had no fear of thinking, lol.

When I thought about writing, procrastination always rushed to my rescue. “I’m not ready yet. I’ll start writing when I’ve studied enough.” I got off the dime when I finally decided to sign up for a writing course, and it was worth ten times what I paid for it.

I jumped in!

Now with nearly 100 articles under my belt, I’m confident and 90 percent less fearful (a little fear is good). I have something to offer, and I’m serving it up. And I’ll end a sentence with a preposition if I want to!

You’ll Ditch Your Time-Wasting Habits

I’ve been a news junkie all my life. I never met a talking head I didn’t like. I ate politics for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I went to parties and spent the evening playing devil’s advocate. I was passionate about something I was not involved in professionally or even as a volunteer.

Politics was like philosophy for me. I liked the back and forth. I argued and debated in circles, and nothing ever got solved. In retrospect, I was trying to fill an emotional, vocational hole inside me.

Since becoming a writer, my news consumption has dropped by 90 percent. I didn’t need to restrict it. I was busy doing something I loved. Now an hour or less of news per day is all I need.

A creative pursuit will end your time-wasting habits if you love your work.

You’ll Be Happier

If you don’t get happier from writing daily, you’ll quit. But if you write daily for a few months and publish some articles, you’ll feel better. You’ll overcome your resistance and your fear of failure.

Your fear of hitting the publish button will evaporate. You’ll realize people like to encourage new writers. And anyway, as an unknown writer, you’ll be writing into the void — and that’s a good thing.

You’ll have time to practice and improve while no one is watching. And those reading your work will give you some love — some follows and claps.

Most people are helpful to new writers; at least, that’s been my experience. When I first started writing, I was even shy about sharing my efforts with friends and family. I felt vulnerable. But as you can see, I got over it.

And so will you.

Your Creativity Will Blossom

If your creativity doesn’t come out to play, you won’t keep writing. You’ll complain about not getting enough reads and views. You’ll bitch about the algorithm.

Then, poof — you’ll disappear.

Everyone is creative. And if you begin writing and stick with it, your creativity will start to bubble and roil. You’ll read top writers and borrow from them and emulate their styles. Eventually, you’ll begin to find your creative voice. And that is necessary online.

You’re writing for Short Attention Span Theater.

You’ll Become More Honest With Yourself

When you decide to write, you’ll have to confront your procrastination. You’ll face your fear of putting your ideas out in public instead of hiding your light under a bushel.

When you start writing, your time-wasting habits will fade. Your creativity will blossom. And you’ll be more honest with yourself.

When you start writing, you’ll clean up your act — you have no choice — you’re exposed.

Self-honestly is the policy you need to be a writer.

Thanks, readers!

Gary June 2022