There are a multitude of blog posts, and really an entire niche of blogs, all about the benefits of writing. You can find your voice. You can make a difference. You can find a tribe. You can be a leader. The world needs to hear what you have to say. Everyone has at least one book in them, so write yours. These statements are all very true, to one degree or another. But nobody talks about what writing won’t do for you.
Writing won’t give you self-confidence
If anything, writing steals the confidence we have away from us. While so-and-so gets a million views in a single month, we try to convince ourselves the 1000 or 500 or 50 views we got still matter. No, writing will definitely not solve a confidence issue in any way.
Writing will not solve your family problems
It does not matter how eloquently you write, that note you email your son to try and resolve the tensions you have had with him for the past few years, it won’t keep him from moving out. I guarantee it. Whatever problems you bring into your blog, your book or your podcast…will stay with you. You will likely have to work those problems out in real life. Without an audience.
Writing may not ever earn you a dime
We know of the success stories. The men and women who quit their jobs to write full-time, and we all long for that. The truth is, most of these ‘full-time’ writers have multiple revenues sources: books, classes, speaking engagements, affiliate links, web design. The odds are against any of us ever being Stephen King, with a net worth over $400 million. Many of us will never earn anything writing.
So why do it? Why burn the midnight oil, or the morning candle, or skip your lunch, or whenever you create? WHY BOTHER, if it won’t make us feel better, solve our problems, or make us money? There is only one reason to write:
YOU MUST LOVE THE PROCESS OF CREATING
YOU MUST FEEL A CALL TO CRAFT WORDS INTO SENTENCES
YOU MUST KNOW YOUR LIFE IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT WRITING
Otherwise, you might as well step away from the screen or journal or chalkboard and get a burrito from Taco Bell.
Perfect! 🙂
Thank you Lotta
Chris, now I want a burrito. Thanks a lot man. Haha. Seriously, for me my writing is about joy, personal reflection and helping others. If I am not writing with joy and to help others, it shows. The catch is this–not all writing has to be shared. I’m realizing that more and more. Sometimes it is just a process to get your thoughts out so you can reflect, and that’s TOTALLY fine.
Jim, that’s a great point. It is so easy to think writing has to be for others. I am definitely learning to view some of my writing as distinctly for me, or for a few select people. I do process through writing, but I don’t always need to share my process.
such wisdom here Chris. You are spot on, how many people do we see that have larger challenges from writing? It is no magic pill, it has to be deep within you. But what a sweet spot indeed when it is right on…
Yes, a sweet spot when we arrive there. Good thought Christa
Loved it Chris. I write because I have to. Just love it. Sometimes it’s for others, sometimes it’s for me. No, it hasn’t made me rich, but I think my writing does touch others. Bottom line, God made me a writer. Great post.
We do what Jon Acuff says, we compare our starts to some else’s middle. When we look at the blogesphere. We see massive success : Hyatt, Godin, Goins, etc. This gives us a false sense. We may never reach their platueu. But even if we do we can’t shed our humanity and the struggles that come with being human. All of our fears,insecurities ,problems, as you have said don’t leave us because of pixels on a screen. Like you said write for the audience of one,you. The chips fall where they may and be true to your calling.
It’s just so easy to lose sight of the why, because we are so worried about how and where, or what it will get for us.
Well said Chris. Writing isn’t a magic pill. It only gives me a reason to live.
I am just becoming convinced we must write because we are called. Nothing more. Nothing less.
So true Pamela
And that has to be good enough my friend. Great post by the way.
Thanks Troy
Well written!
Thanks Michael
Well said, Chris. I especially like your first point, because it is so true. Writing can destroy our confidence, especially when we start playing the comparison game.
I know, right? I go back and forth with comparing to others and not caring. Thankfully, I am learning to run my own race more often now.
I love how you get back to the essentials. So many people use writing as a way to be happier, richer, more popular … Thank you Chris for reminding us we write because we are writers and we can’t not.
That’s just it, isn’t it Audrey? We write because it’s deep within our souls to do so. When we focus on anything else, it gets fuzzy
Great post, Chris. Couldn’t agree with you more: writing is organic at it’s very core. It can lead to a measure or success and/or difference making in the world, but those are the byproducts, not the impetus. I would say I want a Taco Bell burrito now, but not after the photos of the kid licking the taco shells went viral!.
I missed that viral photo, but I doubt it could be worse than the meat. And yet, I still get a quesadilla from there every now and then. Unlike Taco Bell, writing is very organic, lol
Chris, thanks for bringing some light into what often times is actually darkness disguised as light. Not everyone will be published, nor deserves to be, but everyone does need to know themselves, in order to love others (their audiences) well!
I really like your thoughts here. Knowing ourselves to love our audience better — that’s good!
I couldn’t agree more Jim! In my mind I have romanticized all the countless journals and entries that no one has seen, and one day perhaps someone (my family) will be interested and blessed by them.
If I never achieve anything more via writing than the connections I’ve made with such fine folks as yourself, Chris, it will be enough.
I too am so grateful for the friends I’ve met over the past eight months as I begin my writing journey