I Am a Writer. I Am a Writer. I Am a Writer.

Why Is It So Hard to Say Out Loud?

Why Is It So Hard to Say Out Loud?

Impostor syndrome caught up with me not only in programming, but in blogging and writing articles too.

Am I genuinely worth the attention of the few dozen people who read me? Do I have the right experience to share my thoughts with others? What do I put in my bio: blogger, writer, or just sharing some thoughts, don’t take me too seriously?

This led me to books about writing.

I started with You Are a Writer by Jeff Goins.

It contains no actual advice on how to write — it’s more of a manifesto for writers who are just starting out.

Jeff Goins opens by exploring what it means to be a writer and what makes someone a professional at their craft.

From there, he moves naturally into aspects of a writing career such as building your own platform and personal brand.

These are things that writers either ignore entirely — making it hard to find readers and build a community — or focus on so heavily that it distracts from the writer’s core calling: to write.

I didn’t come to this book with specific questions I was hoping to answer. My interest was general: to understand how other writers see themselves, and how they improve.

Don’t Be Ashamed to Call Yourself a Writer

Goins immediately pushes you out of your comfort zone and makes you say it: “I am a writer.” Again: “I am a writer.” Over and over.

There is no magic moment when a non-writer transforms into a writer. So there’s no reason to shy away from calling yourself one right from the start.

And you know what — it really is hard. Especially in a language like Ukrainian, where there’s no softer alternative. There is only the weighty word письменник — a title carried by people like Vasyl Stus, Serhiy Zhadan, or Illarion Pavliuk.

So the advice, simple as it sounds, hits a nerve.

Write, and Write a Lot

Practise, draft, do it regularly. And do it for one person — yourself.

This is that harsh, well-worn truth of life: there are no magic formulas or silver bullets, only the quiet daily grind. That’s what separates professionals from amateurs.

Show Your Work to the World

Let people tell you what they think — and receive their feedback with grace.

I remember the first time I published something publicly, how I hesitated before hitting the button. And then, when comments came in, how desperately I didn’t want to see anything negative.

Each time, the nerves got a little smaller and my confidence in what I was doing grew a little stronger. Most of the comments, as it turned out, were useful — though criticism was not entirely absent.

Going public is the best thing that can happen to a writer and their work. However frightening it feels at first.

The Idea of “Good” Is Subjective

No one sits down to write an article with the intention of producing something bad. We all strive, in our own way, to create something impressive — or at the very least, worth reading.

But the truth is that genuinely good pieces will come far less often than we’d like. And the ones that turn out good will frequently be the ones we least expected to be.

Good writing is subjective — it has no clear plan or recipe. What looks extraordinary to the author may look entirely ordinary to everyone else.

This will happen again and again. The important thing is not to self-censor, because that dramatically reduces the chances of ever writing something truly beautiful.

Build Relationships with People

Finally, the author returns once more to a truth of life: skill matters just as much as the relationships you build.

Want to become a great writer? Talk to writers, readers, and journalists. Read and respond to other people’s work, build a circle that strengthens you as someone who knows their craft.

One specific element of this: learn to sell yourself and your work.

This isn’t about aggressively chasing likes and views. In a world where everything competes for our attention, it’s naïve to hope that our talent will shine brightly enough for others to spot it through the noise — especially when we’re just starting out.

Taking steps towards a potential reader, or a fellow writer, won’t hurt anyone — but it will help you find your people far sooner.

On the whole, I enjoyed the book. At the same time, there are plenty of negative reviews on Goodreads. Some accuse it of being boastful, performative, and full of name-dropping.

Para gustos colores — though it seems most of those readers missed the point the author was after.

He wanted to support and guide someone who has only just begun writing their first pieces and is still too embarrassed to call themselves a writer. In drawing on his own early experiences, Jeff isn’t showing off — he’s illustrating, through example, the advice he himself once lacked.

This book is the chance to have coffee with someone who has already walked the road you’re just beginning to travel.

The word writer and the craft of writing could be swapped out for any other: actress and acting, musician and songwriting, painter and painting. The lessons wouldn’t lose a thing.

It would still be about the courage to call yourself what you want to be, to practise consistently, and not to wait before showing your work to the world.

Even if it comes out a little clumsy at first.

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🇺🇦 Originally published in Ukrainian — Я письменник. Я письменник. Я письменник.