How I Became A Confident Writer

I can't believe this will be my 200th article on the internet.

It has been a long time coming and I'm quite proud of the many stories I’ve written so far. The process of writing and figuring out what topics to talk about weekly can be a challenge, at times incredibly frustrating, as you want to bring something new and fresh to the table.

There were other times when I felt nothing was quite good enough to be written about. Either it was a subject too obscure or it needed more time to develop. That's something I didn't always have with my weeks.

I applaud those who do it daily because it was like pushing teeth at times. I've gone through every stage imaginable to writers: writers' block, writer fatigue, and my personal favorite - never wanting to write another article for the rest of my life!

When deciding the idea for this week's article, my mind kept fixating on my writing journey with this platform. At first, I balked at the idea to write about my experience because it sounded boring, but the more I kept thinking about it, the more it sounded like something I needed to write about. And how fitting that it just happened to be on my 200th article!

Thanks to this platform, I've learned to write outside my comfort zone. And boy did I put myself out there.  Most people probably assume writing op-Ed or personal stories is easy, and maybe it is for others, but for me, it was always a struggle finding the balance between personal and oversharing.

I normally write what is comfortable enough that I don't feel like an idiot once it's published. Once I disciplined myself to put something out every day, it was the kick I needed to venture out of what's comfortable, not only to strengthen my writing skills but to share my stories with a new audience.

Two of my articles in particular were challenging to write. One was a piece never in a thousand years I'd thought would be written by me "We Don't All Look Like Meghan Markle" and the other "When Does Censoring Books Gone Too Far" was an opinion piece about censorship of some of Dr. Seuss's books.

While enjoyable to write, it was also scary putting my strong opinions and viewpoints out to a foreign audience. Writing about sensitive topics made me nervous, as to how I didn’t want it to come across as too preachy - just informative. I felt validated over time as the readers enjoyed reading my opinions and views.

There will always be a set of audience that won't agree with your new perspectives and personal opinions but you should still be brave enough to take a stand for yourself and what you strongly believe in. And that’s all I ever wanted to accomplish with my words. Bring change!

You may feel inadequate or not ready to be a writer but once you start putting words to paper, you’re on your way to becoming one. It took me years to call myself a confident writer, this title describes a big part of my life.

What I hope those who read this article will take away is to enjoy your experiences as a writer to the fullest. Life has a funny way of presenting you with events at the right moments and it is up to you to pursue them.

If I hadn't randomly decided to take up writing as a hobby at the beginning of summer, I would have never had this amazing experience. And I've learned so much more, not only pertaining to my writing but my life goals for the future. 

So thank you Sociomix for the opportunity to find this writers' voice and the confidence to declare me a writer. It hasn't always been easy but that's just part of life, enjoying the journey with all the ups and downs.