Why You Should Write When You’re Most Afraid of What You’ll Say

Spill your soul onto the page without regret

One of the top reasons writers release their articles, stories, books, and ramblings into the world is to be heard.

More than a confession, our work is often a literal expunging of the soul — a cleansing of the spirit, a blood-letting of the heart … without the need for leeches.

Because writing is personal — and occasionally, painful

Whether it’s a message exploring the human condition, a rant of frustration, or an expose of corruption and fraud, writing is an effective method of getting things off our chest — before we burst into flames.

Fortunately, there are many folks who still like to read the written word

According to an article by Andrew Perrin from the Pew Research Center, roughly seven-in-ten U.S. adults (72%) say they have read a book in the past 12 months in any format, a figure that has remained largely unchanged since 2012.

Why? When we read, we’re telling a story to ourselves — in our own voice. We’re comfortable with the internal delivery system, because we trust our own inflection, interpretation, and emotional response.

Reading grants a reader the freedom to start and stop a story at any point, to skip past what appears to be irrelevant filler — and to focus on and revisit those points that strike a chord.

Personally, there are a few significant reasons why I like to write:

1. I’m the boss of my time, energy, and ideas

Unlike conforming to a job description with boring, tedious duties, there’s no one lurking over my shoulder instructing me to follow a certain method, protocol, strategy, or theme. And I don’t need to justify my work — unless I want to.

2. The resulting finished piece isn’t delegated or resourced to outside third parties for input or performance

The ultimate and final responsibility for my words — and how readers respond to them — falls squarely in my lap. I wear all the hats from typing the first word to hitting “publish.”

And I readily accept the responsibility and pressure — because leaving my personal message in the hands of others seems not only risky, but irresponsible. It’s the equivalent of laying my soul in the devil’s palm, and expecting him to deliver on his altruistic promises.

3. Writing keeps my ego in check

More than an exercise in self-exploration, writing reminds me of how little I really know. At the same time, it’s an outlet to express what I think I know, or feel, or believe — and sometimes, take it a step further.

Writing challenges my current knowledge base. And to meet that challenge, I have to keep learning. Unless I continue to study and acquire new knowledge, I may as well become a mental zombie — my brain paralyzed by outdated, obsolete, or outright inaccurate assumptions and opinions.

4. Writing is a growth experience

As mentioned above, I’m an advocate of continuous learning. Everything — including much of what we know about our world — changes with time. Which means on any given day, there’s always something more to discover.

It’s not unusual for my writing to generate unanswered questions, peripheral topics, and off-shoot subjects unrelated to the piece I’m working on. And rather than dismiss these renegade thoughts as irrelevant, I’ll jot them down to revisit at another time.

5. The main reason I think writing is personal?

Writing exposes our truth. By divulging our thoughts, ideas, and feelings, we reveal our personal values and beliefs.

As humans, we’re often overly-protective of our own opinions — because they don’t always resonate with the majority. And when we arrive at the point of taking off the training wheels and pushing our creation out of the nest, it can come at a high price — one that requires courage, bravery, and a huge dose of humility.

The answer?

Keep writing. Stay the course, allowing for a few adjustments along the way. Remain congruent with your inner truth — and let your instincts guide you as you spill your soul onto the page.

It might get a little messy and uncomfortable, but it’s better than living in frozen isolation, afraid to breathe — or exhale.

© 2020 Jill Reid. All Rights Reserved.

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Jill Reid is the author of Real Life, and founder of Pathway to Personal Growth and Kitchen Spirit. Her books and articles explore life, happiness, self-improvement, health, productivity, relationships, and personal success strategies for living longer and stronger through positive lifestyle choices.