Vulnerability and Courage: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Dear Maggie,
Do you ever worry or get nervous when other people read your work?
Sincerely,
Nervous in Newport
Dear Nervous,
When I first started writing, and had to let other people read my stories, I was definitely nervous. What if I really had no talent at all? Was I kidding myself? Did I have the resilience and mental fortitude to manage the criticism and constant rejection that came along with the writer’s life?
Nine years later and I’ve just released the fourth book in the TSI romantic suspense series, I’ve sold every short story I’ve written, my science fiction trilogy has won numerous awards, I’m the VP of the local writer’s group, I’m invited to speak on panels, podcasts, and webinars, and I’m finishing another full-length story on the Kindle Vella platform. Progress. Validation. Proof that maybe I have the chops for this. And yet… that vulnerable feeling is never far away.
As a writer, I’ve had to forge a new relationship with my feelings of vulnerability. I recognize now that vulnerability is not weakness. I may feel exposed, but I send my words out into the world anyway. I may have days when I want to throw in the towel, but I put one foot in front of the other and move forward. I think vulnerability and courage are two sides of the same coin. It is a form of courage for an artist of any kind to share their work with the world. For writers, we know readers may not connect with our characters. They may criticize our writing style. They may just plain old not like our story. They may even say mean things about us on the internet!
I don’t have to pretend that sort of thing feels good when it doesn’t, but I’ve learned to be mostly okay existing in this vulnerable space. The satisfaction I feel when I know a reader enjoys my work far outweighs any sense of worry or nervousness.
“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.” - Brene Brown
