Dare to Be Vulnerable in Your Writing

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From Laura Drake at Writers in the Storm:

I had no idea what I was going to write about this month. I felt like I’d done it all.

. . . .

I’d forgotten. Vulnerability is my super-power.

I went through a pretty traumatic childhood and then bad decisions on my part left me with thick armor. At one point in my life, I was afraid of good things happening, because I thought the Universe wanted balance, and that meant something bad was coming. Yeah, sad, I know.

. . . .

This is about being open, laying out what you have to say on the page. I’ve heard writers who were afraid to write what was in their heart, for fear of what family and friends would think. Hell, what perfect strangers would think! (Because that’s what reviews are, right?) I get their fear. I really do.

. . . .

But think back, to when you first decided to write. What did you choose to write? I don’t care if you wrote Paranormal, Rom Com, Sci-fi, or end-of-the-world dystopian–I know one thing. Deep down in the conflict of that work, you were writing what was in your heart. Genre doesn’t matter—that’s just how our brain chooses to cover our heart’s exposure.

. . . .

• Because you want to. Dig deep—you know it’s true.
• Because that’s the best writing you’ll ever do.
• Because that’s why readers read—they want to connect, on an emotional level with other humans. Here’s proof. What books are on your keeper shelf? I’ll bet if you were to look, you could tell me what each book meant to you—what chord it touched in your heart.
• Because readers will love and respect you for it. Our heroes are, after all, those who risked it all, in spite of the dangers and the odds. Right?
• Because it’s good for your soul, putting out your truth out there in black and white that will exist after you’re gone. But also because, when people tell you your work touched them, it’s the hand clasp you needed when you wrote it. We all need those. The world needs those. Desperately.

Link to the rest at Writers in the Storm

Here’s a link to Laura Drake’s books.