Writing Is Relative

Understanding is relative.

Unlike scientific or technological contraception whose affability is tested and confirmed before being patented and packaged for commercial use. A writer’s content has to be ingested, its efficiency measured against individual’s thoughts pattern, perception, sight, background, openness, understanding all of which vary from person to person so you no doubt have to accept different comments about your work unless your content offers more diversity in its depth which still might not appeal to people with fixed mindsets. Hence, it requires a complete understanding and a strong believe in what you write or else you as a writer would be disturbed by various recommendations, complaints and compliments which can be unnerving. Even if it is read by friends and ascertained to be perfect, you have to live with people’s varying opinion about your works as it would span beyond the locality of your territory and ideologies of your friends. 

A writer and the Audience

Being a writer means you’re writing for an audience. Problems arise when as a writer you don’t have a boundary to which people’s comments affect you. Being a writer is a little bit tricky considering the fact that one might get attracted to the likes especially on social media. As a writer, your self worth shouldn’t be dependent on the number of likes you get. It’s easy to get used to being liked and a certain post not being liked might result in a decrease in how you feel about yourself. It’s normal to feel elated when one's work is appreciated but to let that be the determinant or basis of your worth or happiness is not healthy. I appreciate it when people like my work and for the record I would if you like this post but if you don’t it does not make me feel “unliked” or unwanted because my self esteem or worth is not built on this. This doesn’t erase accepting constructive criticisms, or being motivated by other’s comments, it is recognizing the boundaries. Self love is part of what you give to people around you; it’s not something you try to squeeze out of people by getting the ‘likes’.  There’s a place your audience as a writer fill (the accolades) and there’s a peace, a sureness about yourself that has nothing to do with what the audience thinks or not and I think this is where creativity is born, the courage to write things out of your depth, outside popular opinions. You can’t use your gift, skill as your self esteem bank because not everyone will like your work.  

 The freedom to own what you write. That’s freedom. The accolades will come but don’t be nailed by it. Surprise yourself more than you surprise the audience. It’s still about you.