Yes, Your Writing Matters

Do you ever wrestle with doubts and question if your writing matters?

Writing feels so hard and lonely at times.

I remember as a teen that my heart was full, my energy and confidence high. I collected some clips, some trophies, some honors. After college, I earned a salary writing, but in secret, I wrote fiction.

Sometime in my early forties, I shared my dream with a close friend, who pointed me to a conference. I won a full scholarship to attend, so I took it as a sign from God that this was the path I should follow.

“Our greatest fear should not be failure. . . but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” –Francis Chan

After attending the Write to Publish conference in Wheaton, Illinois, I learned the writing life included more than I imagined: marketing, social media, websites, critique groups, blogs, podcasts, newsletters, and more. It became overwhelming. Over time, fear replaced my joy and enthusiasm. The spark started to dim. I started to ask myself if my writing, my dream really mattered.

Restore Original Focus

My eyes focused on what culture tells us, and I fell into the trap of worrying what others thought. A portion of Philippians 2:3 in the New Living Translation says, “Don’t live to make a good impression on others.”

Somehow my writing passion evolved into an issue of living up to others’ expectations of success. The longer it takes to fulfill my dream, the more pressure I feel to succeed. And as each month passes, sometimes I feel like a failure.

But, you see, that’s a lie the voice of doubt whispers to discourage me. I’m not to impress people; I’m to impress my Creator.

Read Your Writing Matters

In Your Writing Matters, Colleen M. Story looks at how in our culture, creative people link their self-worth with financial rewards and their validation on how many people know about them. This leads to indecision, inner turmoil, and lots of pain. (Yes, that’s how it affected me.)

To solve this problem, she says, we need to sense our purpose and tie it to our desire to write. We choose to be writers. No one else has the power to decide for us. What does our writing mean to us? How does it give meaning to our lives?

If we’ve lost that loving feeling about our craft, she says it means that we have forgotten how to play. Instead, we plague ourselves with worries. (That is very true for me.)

Francis Chan (Crazy Love) said, “Our greatest fear should not be failure. . . but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.”

Why Your Writing Matters

In her book, Colleen shares why our writing matters. Some of the ways she includes are that when people write, they heal; they escape for a while which improves the quality of life because it encourages reflection; they discover the truth because it provides opportunities to explore big questions; they release secrets or ghosts that haunt them; and they know what’s important to them. The more you know yourself, the better decisions you make and the happier you are.

Writing also boosts brain power. She backs up her ideas with interesting statistics and studies. The more we practice writing, the better thinkers we become. Writing promotes reflection, critical thinking, and learning. Creative writing is healthier for the brain than academic writing. We’re keeping our brains sharp!

In the last section, she gives seven reasons not to write and seven reasons to quit. Exercises offer the reader moments of contemplation.

Evaluate Your Reasons

Easier ways to make money and become famous exist. If that’s your goal, feel no shame in letting this writing dream go. But, if you’re like me, the desire goes deeper than that. Writing is just a part of who I am, and at the end of the day (most days), my time spent at the computer flew by and left me satisfied.

Colleen reiterates what I’ve heard others say, “Better to take a risk and fail than never try.”

Our goals and dreams are uniquely ours. How we spend our time is between us and God and our families. Let’s not be afraid. Proverbs 29:25 says, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (NIV)

Once I confided my dream to others, I opened the door to worrying about what people think about how I spend my time, about my dreams and goals, and about my success in life. Their opinions could elate me or deflate me. I made the mistake of giving them that power. Now, I must take it back, and remember to trust in the Lord. He will keep me safe and take me where He wants me to go.

You Choose

Should you write? That’s totally up to you. Whatever you decide is fine. It’s your life, your decision. Whether you publish and become a highly-acclaimed author or not, the lives you touch through your words is left in the hands of God. We may as well enjoy the journey, right?

As the year winds to an end, during this season of gift-giving, give yourself the gift of freedom to decide. That’s the only way to make real peace. Decide. Are you a writer? Write. If not, let the chains fall off and pursue a different dream. Then rest in that choice, moving forward and not questioning anymore.  

(Picture: Seventeen-year-old Michelle with her first electric typewriter, a Christmas gift before she went off to college.)