I sometimes ask myself not if I should write, but if I should share what I write.
Writing is my lifeblood. I have occasionally “given up the bad habit of writing” only to find myself slinking back with a scrawled bit of doggerel like a junky needing his morning fix. If I go more than about a day without writing something, somewhere — I get that janky tremor that we used to call “jonesing” back in the day.
I cannot stop. That much has been decided. And, for the most part, I like to think of it as a victimless habit. Mostly harmless… Besides, like decent person with any filthy habit, I wash my hands afterwards.
But should I share what I write? That gets trickier.
I still believe it is “mostly harmless”. But I know, regardless of the perception of “quality” (in quotes for my buddy, Ted), what I write often seems to not be (for whatever reason, perhaps due to “quality”) the kind of stuff that people particularly “get” or maybe even like. And I am not entirely blind to the qualities of the writings that are well-received, but the well-received style of writing is plainly not me.
So I often find myself asking, when I write, should I share it? Or should I hermit myself off in the woods and eventually be found as a dead and desiccated body, with stacks of scrawled within notebooks scattered around my cave that some cold hiker will burn for fuel against the cold autumn air?
Wait… don’t answer those… those were rhetorical questions. Allow me at least the illusion that someone reads and maybe slightly likes what I write, please.
Channeling non-oblique, non-obtuse writer to see if I can make something of something…
29 responses to “Half-penny thought — 14may25”
“Wait… don’t answer those…” Okay, I won’t.
You like the hermit in the cave scenario, amiright? 😉
😔 No, I like reading your work. And hope you keep sharing.
Thanks Jolene. 💕
A case of bad self-esteem (BSE) today.
One of many writers curses. 😢 Feel better. 💐
It’ll likely pass. Still, I have to ask myself these questions to stay grounded in reality.
Understandable
😢 😥
That’s a difficult one, Michael. I too am of the ‘write what I like but the mass market doesn’t’ school, and I’m undecided over the matter of sharing. I want my stories to be read, but I can’t say I like the idea of giving away my work for free. I did so when I published my debut novel – an Amazon recommended marketing ploy – and ‘sold’ twenty-something free copies in a day. I didn’t receive a single review for my efforts, however, which is annoying. It wasn’t a condition of the freebies, granted, but for me it’s just good manners to leave a review when I receive a book for free. So, no more giveaway books for me. I share a poem on occasion, and maybe a section of prose, but in the hope that they’ll intrigue somebody enough for them to get the book. I do know people – yourself included – who publish their writing on their website and elsewhere for nothing, and if they’re okay with that then all fair and good. As I said at the start, there are no easy answers – and good luck with trying to find one. 🙂
I don’t do it for money or fame. Like Ted (his specter appears behind me), I don’t know that I care about either enough to worry about charging people, although the thought certainly has come up on occasion. I just prefer to be read rather than not read although it is a bit disconcerting when you realize that you are a source of dopamine for others as they collect their happy little stars and they think you operate on the same level and shower you back with happy little stars. I don’t want stars or followers; I would prefer readers. This migration has made it quite apparent that only a handful of people actually read what I write. It makes you wonder.
Understood. I don’t write for money or fame either – but I wouldn’t turn them down if they came my way. I write because I enjoy it, and I’d also like it to be read. I got a fake review recently, which annoyed me. It was clear the person hadn’t read the book, and I can’t work out why they’d do that – I want readers, reviews without reading mean nothing. I always read your work, although often I’m too dim to get it. When I do, I’ll comment. I’m afraid it’s like much social media – just because you have so many followers doesn’t mean they all read your posts. Tough one. 😐
You’re not dim 😂
I just write about some topics at times that I probably should explain better but then I would feel like I am writing for a technical journal if I did so, and so I don’t (that kind of writing is associated with work, and I am loath to bring my work to this site in any capacity, so I write much more slack than I do for my day job).
What’s the point in writing a review for something you didn’t read?!?!? In the hopes that you would click on their name, find out they write books and buy their book in return? That’s all I can think of and that’s terribly pathetic.
I think you’re right about the fake review, Michael, and if that was the aim it didn’t work. And it’s fine that you write what come to you when it appears, and it’s fine work. I’m just not the best with poetry. It was my worst English discipline at school, and although nowadays I write some myself it’s very down-to-earth and mostly humorous stuff. I like reading your work, however, and will continue to do so. 🙂
Thanks!
Oh, keep on writing and keep.on sharing. I know we’ve said before how if only one other person gets it it’s been worthwhile.
Of course it would be lovely to write something so profound that it touches everyone but I’m not that naive – besides which you’ve only got to look at what sells by the shed load to realise that challenging is not what most people want.
‘Followers’ is the downside of social media, although, that being said, connections can be made.
You write, and I’ll be there to read!
Thanks. As I said in other comments, I’m having a period of bad self esteem. But sure if I ought to be inflicting myself on people… 😅
That handful is all that matters😉From a handful of seeds a forest grows.
I feel the same about writing. If I go a day without scribbling something, I can tell. And if I am in a rut with quality of writing, then I really feeling like I’m sinking. But most of what I write isn’t that good, just rough drafts, that don’t see the light of day. The funny thing, is I often go back, and what seemed terrible at the time, looks better after time. Or prompts me to write something better.
I like that when you go back to something you forgot you wrote and think, “You know? That was pretty good. Huh.”
I always look forward to reading your blog 😊
Thank you 💙
You must continue to write. You must continue to search for “Quality.” You must continue to share. (This is the mantra that I’m chanting right now.)
Because others have gotten lazy. Because others think it doesn’t matter anymore. Because life is short but words go on forever . . .
Thanks for the shout out, michael. I really do think it’s important. Maybe the most important thing we do. Feedback, the notice of others . . . transient. Words? Forever.
There’s so much crap out there, and the mass of it grows every day. All we can do is fight to make something beautiful, that might matter to someone, somewhere, someday . . .
I will write. The sharing in this sea of enshittification is a tougher sell at times. But I’ll probably continue to add my shit to the growing pile.
My BSE got the better of me yesterday. That’s the problem with dysthymia: some days are more-down days than the usual down days.
You are fighting against enshittification with every post. That is why you, and others like you, and me, must continue. Please.
I’m glad you share, Michael : )
Thank you Stacey 💙
I love your writing style
Thank you for your kind words 🙏
❤️