Reflective Essay: Who Are You As A Writer?

702 Words3 Pages

For centuries, writers all over the world have expressed their feelings, opinions and beliefs, through many different forms of writing. Each writer has a unique and different style from the next, and it is their individuality that shapes them as writers, and as people. I believe that writing is the doorway to the soul in which a person can express themselves for all to hear. If you open up that door, creativity, and personality will come flowing out onto the paper. Because I believe that writing allows a person to find themselves, I write for the satisfaction of being able to express myself, and escape reality.

Unfortunately, many high school students are forced to write about topics that are not entertaining, or opinion based. This often …show more content…

Writers often feel the pressure of judgement from the reader, and question themselves, and their writing. Many times, if a writer is working on a book, they might delete or sensor themselves to satisfy the reader. However, there is a fine line between satisfying the reader, and going against your beliefs. When writers struggle with this issue, they tend to forget who they are and why they are writing in the first place. Like Joan Didion, a successful, self-made writer said, “All I knew then was what I couldn’t do. All I knew then was what I wasn’t, and it took me some years to discover what I was.” I believe in the idea that one cannot truly succeed until they believe in themselves (Didion). One is able to do this by focusing more on their writing, and less on the reader’s opinion. I feel that a writer’s work is always going to be judged by its audience, but in order to become successful, they must disregard those judgements, and continue writing.

Often times I find myself worried about what the reader will think as well. Whether it is a teacher grading, or student analyzing, there is always the underlying fear of, “not being good enough”. However, when I write, I try to remember that I am writing for myself. I do not focus on the “what if’s”, but instead the, “yes, and?”, to reassure myself to keep going, despite negative feedback. I believe writing is