Why To Keep Writing (Even If You’re Terrible At It)

Reasons to quit quitting

“How to Not Suck at Writing”.

Catchy title, right?

This was the name of my late friend’s website.

If you need advice on more “scholarly” writing (essays and the like), good news! It still exists here.

Otherwise, keep reading.

They say that you only have one chance to make a first impression.

Well, I think I forked mine up here.

Oh, I’m not alone?

Tell me if this sounds familiar:

Almost immediately after joining Medium, you began churning out stories like no tomorrow. Brilliant ideas flew from your fingertips. But now you fear, in your overzealous attempt to “stay consistent”, you’ve let quality go by the wayside.

Yes?

Not to worry. I, too, am aware that most of my recent writings have not been my best work. (Trying to keep up my Medium mojo after being thrust into a caregiver role has been a little harder than I anticipated.)

But it’s ok. We’re in this together!

And we can keep going together.

If you feel like quitting, here are three reasons not to:

1. You do get a second chance.

Here’s some good news: on Medium, it doesn’t appear that first impressions matter nearly as much as we think. There always seems to be a chance to turn things around.

I say this as someone who has read comment after comment from successful Medium dwellers, who stated that they majorly fudged up their entry into this platform. But then they took a step back, re-evaluated, and changed things up.

That’s when the success came.

They didn’t quit, and neither should you.

2. You have a reason to write

Before you throw in the towel, think about why you started writing in the first place. Most of us have a reason. Perhaps you thought you needed an outlet. Maybe you felt you had lots of valuable things to say that others would appreciate. Or, maybe you just really, really like writing.

Those reasons still exist. Use them as motivation.

The more you read and write, the better you’ll get

Not to overstate the obvious, but…you won’t get any better at writing if you stop doing it! The opposite is true — the more you write, the better you’ll be.

It may also help to read others’ work. You’ll gain ideas and insights that you’ve previously overlooked.

And if nothing else, reading more should expand your once-limited vocabulary.

Feeling encouraged by these three reasons?

Then say it with me: giving up is not an option!

If you want another chance, have something to say, and are focused on improvement, there is no reason that you can’t become more successful going forward.

So please, keep writing, even if you think you “suck” at it.

I know I’ll be reading.

What’s the worst article you think you’ve written? Feel free to share the title in the comments. I might just check it out!