I’ve been really struggling with putting my writing out onto the net – both my fiction, whether short or long form, and my non-fiction in the form of blog posts and social media. I know some of the writers I work with are also struggling with the same thoughts as they approach putting their stories out into public forums, whether in contests, writing forums, reader magnets, anthologies, or novels.

Hitting “publish” on your writing feels like walking into a crowded room completely naked—not just naked, but with your soul on display, every flaw, doubt, and dream laid bare. You’re convinced that at any moment, someone will point, laugh, and say, “Who let this fraud in here?”

But here’s the truth: nobody is waiting to tear you apart. In fact, most people won’t pay nearly as much attention as you think. And the ones who do pay attention? They’re either cheering you on or too busy worrying about their own work to judge yours.

“Nobody is waiting for you to fail…the world is big and you are small, and that means you can chase your dreams with little worry for what people think” James Clear

That tight, jittery feeling in your chest? That’s not a sign to stop—it’s a sign that you care. It’s a sign that what you are writing matters to you. And if it matters to you, maybe it could speak to others too.

But they’re not going to be analysing your every word or trying to catch you out. The internet moves fast. Unless you’re committing literary war crimes, your work isn’t going to make or break your reputation.

Some people will love it. Some won’t. Some won’t even notice it exists. And that’s okay. Keep showing up, keep putting your writing out there, and keep improving.

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it.” Octavia Butler

If you wait for your writing to be flawless, you’ll never share a single word.

The first time is terrifying. The second, slightly less so. By the tenth, you’ll wonder why you ever hesitated. So take a deep breath. Post the thing – somewhere, anywhere. Writing is a work in progress— and so are you.

Image by Alexas_Fotos Pixabay