Writing is a solitary craft, as are many artistic pursuits, so it's a good fit for an introvert. And 2020 has certainly turned out to be a banner year for solitude, no? As if a global pandemic weren't enough, nearly the entire west coast is on fire, creating unhealthy to toxic air quality. What better time to stay indoors and be creative? So here I sit, drafting, writing, rewriting. And then...it's time to go public and put whatever I've written "out there."
That's something I've struggled with over the years, for a
few reasons. Besides constantly wondering if my writing is "good enough" (whatever that means. Good enough for what?), it sometimes feels
counter-intuitive to go public with that which is created in solitude. I
struggled with the decision to launch this blog, ultimately deciding that while
there was certainly no shortage, I needed a place to point potential freelance
clients.
Blog aside, what about other types of writing? I attempted
to write a novel several years ago, revising and polishing until I felt it was
ready to pitch. I spent a few months being rejected by agents, finally deciding
it wasn't meant to be (and no, I didn't want to put it on Amazon), but the process
was invaluable. The exercise of developing plot and characters and creating a
story with a beginning, middle, and end led to a second, much better novel. So,
what's next? Time will tell.
