When you tell your story, you speak from your heart and bare your soul. It is the gift you give to others. Being honest and transparent with your ideas, thoughts, and feelings leaves you open to criticism by those who don’t understand heart work or share your passion and ideals. It is a push pull relationship between the push to share, inspire, and inform with pulling back. The need for approval, fear of rejection, or resistance to criticism may cause a pulling back from creative self-expression.
We all want approval. We don’t spend hours pouring our hearts out just to have our feelings ripped apart. Writers have a desire to share, but they fear the opinions of others. When your heart is speaking someone is listening. Whether the message is received by a mass audience, or a few who need the inspiration, your words came to you and they need to be shared.
Some people work for money rather than creative approval. Financial gain gives them a sense of success. But creatives often write having no idea whether or not they will make a profit. The need to create is what drives them. As a writer I sometimes have waves of inspiration, an overflow of ideas, and my heart sings. At other times I feel dry as the desert waiting for rain. I don’t know why I keep writing when it seems like so much work at times, but I just do. I am looking forward to teaching a class on Portfolio Development next month. I expect the anticipation, feedback, and interaction will motivate me to finish my first book.
Writers want an audience. We want to think that someone is listening, understanding, and being inspired. Often writing takes place in the privacy of a home of office. It can be lonely, private, and all encompassing. Then the writer needs to come out of their creative thought cocoon and share with the world. Shore up your arsenal of support before you launch your project into the media and printing presses. Strategies for sharing your heart work will make the transition easier.
- Find approval for your writing before you throw it out to the wolves. Share your ideas and your work with like-minded people.
- Give a small portion of your work to friends, family, and colleagues. Ask if they find it interesting and understandable.
- Collaborate with peers and colleagues.
- Be true to yourself. Make sure you said what you wanted to say and you like the way you said it.
- Expand your network. Blog, comment on blogs, and share snippets on social networking sites. Join groups and professional organizations.
- Get recommendations. Complement the work of others and ask for recommendations from them.
- Give presentations, write a press release, write articles, and/or appear on radio or television shows.
When you decide to publish your work you will already have positive feedback under your belt by people who understand and care about your work. Cushion yourself with positive feedback. Then accept the fact that you aren’t interested in reading all subjects. In fact, you probably critique the work of others just as they will critique yours. Listen to the critiques with one ear for professional growth then let it go out the other.
Share strategies that work well for you and keep writing!
With Love and Happiness,
Nancy Miller, M.S., CCM, Creativity Coach
