A Writer’s Vulnerability – Part 2 of 2

If you missed part 1, please see A Writer’s Vulnerability (Part 1)

I have heard that writing is a calling. I can appreciate it as a call to action – a vanguard of what needs to be expressed.

Changing traditional structures

We live in a culture that believes such things as: keep your problems to yourself, put a lid on it, and, if you cry you cry alone. If a writer can convey a non-traditional spin on a subject, others might see the issue in a way that reflects something they might have not yet thought about. This can open up new avenues in the lines of thought and begin to create change in structural beliefs.

This is my passion.

I have heard, if you want to know a writer more intimately, read their works. Whether they write fiction or non-fiction, it is their voice that comes through from the soul.

Out on a limb

As writers we put ourselves out on a limb, naked and vulnerable for all the world to see. It takes a lot of guts to do that. There is no hiding when we put our words out there and we have no idea what response we might get – how others are receiving our words.

I feel a need to connect and influence in a way that reflects my passion for change. My thoughts, feelings, and emotions, in the gulf stream of the collective may or may not benefit others, although I write.

To me, being of service means to serve in my own way with what I have – from who I want to be. It is about finding my purpose in a given lifetime and about having the courage to pursue and fulfill what I desire.

If I allow self-doubt to have its way, it can halt me at the starting gate. One of my biggest enemies is comparing myself to another who I may see as better and more experienced, and this is when I need to say, “Stop!” I am where I am on my path and need to continue to step out of my comfort zone and allow myself to be vulnerable.

Vulnerability is a strength

To be vulnerable is the will to be open and transparent, and this is an authentic gift to share.

If others feel inspired by a subject I have written about, perhaps I have helped them see something differently, or have reminded them of what they already know. Or, perhaps they might feel a little more liberated on how they view the subject in a new way.

This is the strength of being vulnerable as a writer as vulnerability is a strength. Whether to entertain with an engaging story or share a personal journey, we are connecting and sharing our gifts in hope to inspire, entertain, or help create change.

Joyful journeying.