“The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.”
I perused their tweets and lurked quietly into their blog posts. I followed their tales and shared joy from their memories. I felt the familiar twinge of jealousy as I scanned all the comments and tweets among the group; I would never feel such camaraderie.
The Red Dress Club? Looked like fun. However, jumping in myself was an utterly horrifying idea. These were real writers; teachers passing along their gifts to the newest generations, published authors, and bloggers who have already reached a certain level of fame I could only hope to find.
I was not qualified.
It was too scary.
What if they laughed behind their computer screens, baffled by the nerve of this untrained nobody blogger?
The RemembRED memoir prompts were persistent, intriguing me week after week, pulling me to join in. Finally, I took the plunge. Six months ago, I linked up with my very first The Red Dress Club post: First Day.
My stomach fluttered as my sweaty hand guided the mouse to hover the cursor over “publish”. I closed my eyes and quickly, before I could change my mind, clicked. That moment was the scariest. It was the moment I allowed myself to join a group of talented writers. The moment I agreed to call myself a writer. My own kind of writer, perhaps, but a writer nonetheless.
It has been easy from there. Am I a professional writer? No, and I don’t need those credentials. I blog for fun. I blog to relieve my brain when words are building up inside.
And when a prompt inspires?
I write. I link up. I tweet it out. Then I sit back and enjoy the creativity of others.
I am uplifted when I touch someone with mine.
The Red Dress Club has since evolved and has a new name: Write on Edge. Intrigued? Join in! I promise it is not as scary as it seems.
9 comments:
Oh you, this is perfect.
You described the angst that so many feel, and the fun and the learning that we also do- just as much!
I adore the small moment that you honed in on- so relatable.
I close my eyes too! LOL
The lurking and envy, is so easy to relate to. Everyone else's writing seems perfect and flawless - and it is way too easy to convince ourselves that what we write isn't worthy.
I thunk you might just be my soul sister;) I totally relate and this is beautifully said!
It took me some time to get there too. I do it as often as I can now. And I'm glad you do too.
Oh yes. The first time was terrifying.
I knew one person who had linked up once. Everyone else seemed to know each other. They knew what to do. Their writing spoke to people and painted images.
What if they hated my words? What if my stories fell flat?
What if no one clicked on my link?
Eight months later I'm still here, linking up (although the last month has been sporadic).
And when I guest posted about this fear in The Inner Voice - because it still remains each time I post - all those feelings came back.
But it does get easier. It's the first step.
I'm so glad you took the first step to.
ah yes. i still have moments when i don't think i should link up but am always so grateful i have.
Oh yes! I remember lurking and reading. Then finally joining in. You describe it perfectly.
I still hover over the publish button.
This is going to sound so dorky and I do not know where this is coming from but that is all kinds of awesome! This is my very first link up. Everything, everything you just wrote about was me this weekend. Right down to the closing my eyes and holding my breath. I am so happy to have taken this first hard step. The same one you did. I am already overly impressed and amazed by the community of writer that have come to visit my post. They are amazing and the feed back is wonderful. Good for you! It is hard that first step isn't it!!!! -Laverne
RIght on point.
You could have been talking about me!
Post a Comment