Writers & Their Secrets

Writers have a lot of secrets to keep. 

Whether it’s plot twists, book title names, or release dates, a lot of the things that an author may work on will remain under wraps until the right moment.

Even if you’re not a writer, if you’re somebody who loves surprises, hates spoilers, or you’re someone who would simply prefer to take your deepest, darkest, secrets with you to your grave… I’m sure you can also appreciate some level of secrecy here and there.

But should every part of an author’s journey be kept quiet and hidden away, or are there some things that are better to share?

Passing The Test

Say you’re in class, and you’re taking a test. You’re expected to keep your eyes on your own work. If you look at someone else’s paper, or tell them any of the answers, then it’s classified as cheating—which can get you into a lot of trouble.

Writing is different.

There are no right or wrong answers—no rules that must be followed, no grades, and no pass or fail system.

But sometimes it’s easy to forget that.

For a long time, I kept my writing to myself. I was scared that it wasn’t actually that good, or that if it was, then people would want to steal my ideas and use them for their own stories.

To be honest, some of my fears weren’t unfounded. After all, I was a young, inexperienced writer. Of course my writing wasn’t all that great. I had no idea what I was doing!

As for people stealing my ideas, I’ve come to realize that writers tend to create stories based on the media they consume—whether it’s books, movies, shows, or anything else. Many of the stories we know and love today were inspired by the creations of other people.

Outright plagiarism is still unacceptable, but it’s important to recognize the fact that no one’s work is going to be completely original, because we’re all influenced by the media we consume, and the people we surround ourselves with.

The Truth About Fear

Speaking of people, fear is a community killer. It keeps you isolated, ignorant, and stuck in your old, stale ways of doing things.

Being actively involved in a community brings new perspectives, ideas, and life into your work. 

Fear will tell you lies—both positive and negative. Maybe it’ll say that your writing sucks and that nobody would ever like it. Or maybe it’ll say that you’re an amazing writer who never makes mistakes, and that you don’t need anyone else to come in and tell you otherwise.

Either way, it’s much easier to combat the lies of fear when you’re a part of a community that will tell you the truth.

Community Over Competition

Does being a part of a community mean that all your problems and fears will immediately disappear?

Unfortunately, no…

When you become a part of a community, one of the downsides is that it’s very tempting to compare yourself to other, more successful-looking writers. 

I’ve fallen victim to the comparison game many times. When I start paying more attention to what other people are accomplishing, it’s easier for me to disregard my own achievements.

But writing is not a competition. There’s no first or last place. If anything, writing is more like starting a workout routine. 

The length and difficulty of a workout regimen depends on your goals. Are you trying to stay in shape? Lose weight? Train for a marathon? Gain a bit of muscle mass? A lot of muscle mass?

You can’t give a bodybuilder the same training plan as someone who just wants to stay in shape  and still expect him to achieve his goal. 

And a writer who just writes as a hobby shouldn’t try to compare themselves to an author who writes full-time.

The more you exercise, the more fit you’ll be. And the more you write, the better of a writer you’ll become. (Just don’t forget…you need plan that works for you and your goals specifically)

Celebrate All Success

Let’s continue to build out our exercise/workout metaphor.

If your friend starts going to the gym and over time, through a lot of hard work and determination, they build the muscles that they wanted, does that mean that you can no longer build muscles—because your friend has already done so?

Absolutely not.

If you get yourself a workout plan, and you also put in the same amount of hard work and dedication that your friend did, you too can one day build muscles—even if your routine looks a little different from your friend’s since it was tailor-made for you.

Celebrate your friends’ successes. I guarantee that their success won’t devalue or diminish your own accomplishments.

All of you have the capability to write and publish books. You all have the chance to find an agent, or get a book deal, or become bestselling authors.

Keeping Secrets

And on that note, don’t be afraid of helping other writers or giving them helpful advice.

This was another thing that I struggled with. For a while, I wanted to keep any useful information or “secrets” to myself. I was convinced that it “gave me an advantage” over other writers.

But honestly, that’s a selfish way of thinking—and it’s completely untrue.

If anything, sharing my experiences gives me an advantage. Talking with other people opens the door for them to share their experiences as well. I may find that other writers have found even better tools or solutions than what I discovered, or they might have entirely new ideas that I hadn’t even considered before.

Again, your fellow writers aren’t your competitors, and they’re certainly not your enemies.

If you’ve discovered an amazing resource that improves your writing, let your community know! If you find a great publishing opportunity that anyone can submit to, spread the word! Or if you’ve made mistakes during your writing journey, warn others so that they can avoid making the same mistakes that you did!

Not all secrets need to be shared. Like I said at the beginning of this article, writers often keep all sorts of secrets—especially related to their stories.

But writing truly isn’t like taking a test in a classroom. You won’t get penalized if you share answers and compare notes with the people around you.

So let go of fear, embrace community, and share some of your secrets.

Before You Go…

Do you have any writing secrets to share?

Let me know down in the comments!

Read my last article here!