To All the Writers Who Want More Validation...

bucketsiler:

I see a lot of sad-sounding posts from writers who are lamenting that others don’t validate their writing enough. First of all, I HEAR you. Writing can be a lonely, thankless job, and the amount of validation we get rarely matches the amount of work we’ve put into it.

However. If you’re really craving validation from others, it’s worth asking: Are you giving what you hope to receive? Are you giving that validation and support to other writers? Are you giving that validation to yourself?

• Do you comment on, reblog, and like other writers’ posts? Do you read their writing?
  
• Do you celebrate other writers’ successes?
• Do you celebrate your own successes?
  
• Do you offer your support in other writers’ writing and rewriting process?
• Do you encourage and support yourself? Do you believe in yourself as a writer? Do you take yourself seriously?
  
• Do you buy other writers’ books, ebooks, and zines?
• Do you write fan letters to your favorite authors?
• Do you freely GIVE the kinds of appreciation, support, and validation–to other writers, and to yourself–that you most want to RECEIVE?

Here’s a little exercise: Make a list of all the ways you’d like to be validated as a writer. Now, go out and do those things for someone else and, when possible, for yourself.

Except for the rare, bestselling writers of our time, most of the validation that’s out there is going to come from your small literary circle. It’s a community. Don’t wait around for people to adore you while offering nothing in return.

And, most importantly, don’t wait for validation and appreciation from others while denying it to yourself. Give that love! GIVE IT! Liberally. Unabashedly. You deserve it. I promise. <3