What Writing in Public Has Taught Me
And Why I Think You Should Try It Too
This piece is part of a 30-day writing challenge. I’m sharing daily to clarify as I go. So think of these as pages from my notebook, some will be random, others still in the process of taking shape. It’s all part of the unfolding, thanks for being here and following along.
I never really know what I think until I try to write it like someone else might read it.
I'm one week into a 30 day writing challenge, where I publish one short essay a day. I’ve always journaled daily, but I hadn’t written anything for others to read in a couple of months. I’d been pausing to feel into where I wanted to take my work next. I was a little afraid I wouldn’t have anything to say, until I started writing, and since then I’ve had to keep a notebook around because the ideas just won’t stop. Somehow, in just one week of writing in public, I’ve found more clarity than I had in months of turning it over in my head.
Clarity didn’t come first. It showed up once I got to work.
When I write in my journal, I can wander, and I’m a big fan of this and find it very therapeutic. But when I write in public for others I have to get honest about what I really believe, and figure out how to say it clearly.
In the past week that I’ve been sharing my work again, I've had more than a few people reach out to tell me that they were inspired, or that they would like to do this too.
If you’ve been thinking about writing, I think you should.
You don’t have to use Substack, but this is why I love it: it’s a platform made for writers. It’s never been more accessible to share your work, build community, and even get paid for it without needing to land a book deal, go to journalism school, or wait for someone to tell you you’re legit. Plus, because you’re not trying to please a brand or fit into someone else’s container, you can be more honest. You get to write what feels true to you.
Writing in public doesn’t have to mean being loud or being an expert, or even having it all figured out (I certainly don’t).
It can be just sharing what you’re learning as you go. There’s a lot to be said about having your thoughts witnessed. I think that some might shy away from it because they don’t want to chase attention, or feel like they need to try to impress others. But I would invite you to instead see it as being about connection. Like, this mattered to me, maybe it will matter to you too!
A few of the benefits of writing in this way:
helps you figure out what you really mean to say
sharpens your thinking
builds trust in your voice
turns vulnerability into connection
you get to look back and see how far you’ve come
makes you notice the things that matter most to you
helps you listen to yourself with more honesty
turns internal chaos and overwhelm into order
lets strangers feel close to you even if they don’t know you, basically a reminder that we aren’t all that different after all!
your words might be exactly what someone else needs to hear
If you’ve been feeling the pull to write and to share, I don’t believe it’s random, I believe those tugs on the heart are how God speaks to us, so I would invite you to listen.