I recently read a statement that said, “The core of all successful writing is empathy rather than ego.” – Austin Hackney
What a powerful statement and how true!
As a writer, you may be writing about an event from your life, which can easily lead you towards the “I am writing for me” area. Of course, writing can be therapeutic, but in the long run, if you are sharing your writing, then you are writing for the reader and you need to keep what they want and need in mind.
Put yourself in your reader’s shoes. What do you read? Why did you choose to read those books by those specific authors?
Something that I have found to be a work in progress for my own writing is that if I am sharing something personal; thoughts, feelings, antidotes, then I need to show that I understand my reader, that we have something in common.
As a writer, you want to show and build empathy, not a pathway to your own ego.
Who is your reader?
This is a good little exercise to work on.
Who is my reader? What is she like? What are her hobbies? How old is she? Where does she live?
This is something you can build for yourself. Personalize this person in your mind and then write for her as if you know her personally.
Writing is not so much what you can tell your reader, but what you can give your reader.
We are all, as humans, works in progress and our writing will be a work in progress as well. Cut yourself some slack, do not judge yourself. Write and keep on writing. You will find your own groove and once you do, your writing will turn into something special, not only for you but for your reader as well.
Comentários