Taking Risks in Writing

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I'm not going to lie - writing for my blog is usually pretty easy. Well, it's easy as long as I have an idea.

The anxiety begins when I'm asked to step outside my comfort zone. When I'm asked to write a guest post for another site, or an interview with an author I loved, or get the "let's chat about your weekly column so we can reinvigorate it."

Writing angst is a double edged sword. I can slap some words down here, and walk away feeling fairly content. I said my piece - I got my ideas out into the world. No anxiety, but little crafting. Yes, I try to make sure my ideas make sense and that I've expressed my thoughts in as lovely a way as I can. Yet I know that it's really first draft writing.

When a larger audience looms, though, that's when it gets real. It's like a Scottish sword dance - nimbly stepping over and around that gleaming blade. I'm creating art, but a misstep could cause disaster. Disaster? Okay, so maybe that's overstating it. In my own mind, though, putting myself out there on someone else's site is a lot riskier than scrawling all over the walls in my own private space.

Risk brings growth. Have I grown as a writer over the past year? Maybe. Or maybe it's just that I'm more willing to take those chances as they present themselves.

I'm hoping the coming year brings more opportunities to grow and change in my writing. I hope you'll continue to stop by and see how it goes.


(Check out my "other places I write" for updates on where else I've written. This week I have posts going live at the School Library Journal's Connect the Pop blog on how I used movie trailers in my Hobbit reading unit.)

Comments

  1. Yay Maria!
    You go girl! I think you write well and are so very talented-will check out your posts in other spots over the weekend!

    ReplyDelete

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