Write Like No One’s Reading

And watch your words soar

Writing is a little like flying a plane.

My dad’s a private pilot. I started flying with him when I was 10 years old. I love to fly, and I’m comfortable 99% of the time. The only time I get nervous is during the 30 degree turn before landing and when there’s turbulence. Otherwise, I trust my dad’s skills and that the plane will stay in the air. It’s kinda like trusting the right words will come, writing the article and letting go of results.

We are all creative beings, and some of us have an innate talent to create through the written word. We develop our skills through practice. The rest is intuition guiding us. We are meant to create.

My dad intuitively knew he was meant to fly. He has a talent for figuring out how things work, so it’s a good fit. He took classes, practiced flying with an instructor, and maintains knowledge through annual licensing exams. He’s flown for about 40 years.

Planes are built to stay in the air, even in the event their engines fail. We are meant to write, even when we are afraid of failing. Like that time just before landing, when I feel like we’re going to fall out of the sky, we glide toward the runway with ease. My dad has the skills to guide the plane to the airport, but the that plane also knows what to do. They collaborate to take flight, then come in for a landing. It’s a mutually satisfying relationship.

I want to rise above all the nonsense and be liberated from my self imposed bondage. I’ve been stuck on the ground for so long, I didn’t realize I had the ability to fly.

What if I wrote like no one was reading?

I asked myself the other day. Am I willing to write with complete abandon? Yes! I exclaimed. Am I willing to write when no one is actually reading? Yes! I’m sure of that. Then why am I not writing? Hmm. That stumped me.

I backed off of writing about my thoughts on the subject, until I saw Kristi Keller wrote the same thing in her bio. I read one of her stories and felt refreshed and energized, ready to try it again. Synchronicity works in mysterious ways.

Why have I felt so constricted? I guess I’ve been afraid of what you think. Are my stories disorganized or uninteresting? Sometimes they’re both. I’m new to this publishing thing, so why am I so hard on myself?

Can you relate?

I notice it more often now that I write for Medium. It’s obvious that I’ve had an investment in what you think of me for a while now, and its currently all about the money I won’t make if it isn’t “good enough”. I want people to stand up and take notice, then pay me the big bucks.

The paradoxical nature of this conundrum is clear to me every day I stop myself from writing unencumbered. I want to write for myself and to connect with others. I also want to be compensated. My fear lies in not being fabulous enough to be paid for it. Yet honest writing usually brings more success than trying hard to make someone like it.

When we push too hard to make something happen, our writing turns out forced or nonexistent. For me, it’s typically the latter. I’d rather not do it at all unless it’s top notch. That’s become a problem. I need to let go of it or I won’t get far.

My first curated story was written from the heart on my personal Facebook page. I wrote about a profound spiritual experience. It took me 20 minutes and required very little editing. When I have any doubts, I return to that piece. What made it so attractive was that it expressed my soul’s purpose, was spontaneously written, and wasn’t focused on pleasing anyone.

Does writing bring you joy?

Creativity can be like that all the time if we allow it. We don’t have to stop the flow. If you consider yourself a writer, I’ll bet you can write about nearly anything. I know I can.

So what’s stopped me from lighting it up here on Medium and all over the Internet? What’s stopped me from writing that memoir I’ve talked about for decades?

Perfectionism. A 5-syllable word for FEAR.

Fear takes many forms. Sometimes it’s disguised as procrastination, another 5-syllable word for fear. Other times I make excuses that I don’t have enough time. I’m a single parent, so I find myself believing it. But it’s really because I’m afraid I won’t be perfect enough to get the job. That’s my ego trying to convince me that it’s all about me.

If you think it’s all about you when you’re not curated or recognized as the amazing author that you are, your ego probably has you fooled.

It’s rarely about you. The algorithm on Medium keeps us all guessing, and sometimes we are just overlooked because readers don’t see what we’ve written. Other times, we need to improve the quality of our writing. That’s not personal, it’s a much needed lesson to learn and grow. Maybe you and some readers have incompatible interests or values. Not everyone will resonate or care about what you write. And that’s ok.

Don’t take any of that personally. It’s not personal. Keep going.

What if you let go of expectations and results, and write with complete abandon?

What does that feel and look like for you?

For me, it looks like typing on my phone at my kid’s bedtime because I’m ready to let those words fly. It feels liberating to let go of worry and doubt and just DO IT.

Whenever we face our fear and do it anyway, we allow magic to happen. We are changing our neural pathways, shifting our energy, and showing up for life. There is no one quite like you. You have the power to create with words. Now that’s amazing.

I’ll leave you with this cute memory that just came to me. When I was 19, I had a friend who used to tell me, “Fly, little Warner!” It struck me as adorable, but I never realized that his intention may have also been profound. I may be tiny, but I can fly! I’ve always yearned to fly. One day I’ll get the chance.

See you all above the clouds.

Check out my personal blog at gratefulx365.wordpress.com