Be True to Yourself

Be True to Yourself
Net's Notations -- All About the Reader Series

“Write what you would want to read.” Good advice. You’ve probably heard it before. The idea is you'll inject passion naturally into the work because you care about your theme(s).

If you write non-fiction, you’re addressing a topic you haven’t seen addressed with the slant you’re putting on it. If fiction, you’ve recognized a gap in what’s out there and desired to fill it. Great idea!

God created each of us individually, with specific strengths, weaknesses, passions. If we try to fit into a box, (Which is arbitrary by definition—who knows what the box actually requests of us? We’re guessing from the get-go.) we are not being true to ourselves, to whom God created us to be.

I think this is why writers oftentimes buck against formulas. Artists tend to want to stand out. We want to bring something different. We’re agents of creativity, carrying our own flavor to the ice cream social.

Here’s the best part—someone out in Readerland needs to see what you need to write. That’s God’s plan. Perfect, isn’t it?

To rework a phrase from Field of Dreams: if you write it, they will read it. And if you write it in a God-honoring way, you will find a readership. Being true to yourself is another way you 1) honor God and 2) respect your reader.

So, follow the rules, sure—for the most part. But don’t tuck yourself into a box. Be true to yourself, and readers will find your work.

Who knew that being true to yourself is actually all about the reader?