Writing safe

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I have learned, after reading several BRILLIANT posts by others in the “Write of Passage” challenge, that my writing is “safe” – it doesn’t really take a leap out there and show anything. It’s boring, in fact. (That’s *my* conclusion, at least).

Perfect writing – if such a thing exists – is all in the story. And I know this, deep down. I know that writing is NOT all about being grammatically correct (contrary to what our English teachers tried to drill into us as youth). Or all about proper punctuation usage. Sure, it helps. But in the end, what makes writing felt by the reader isn’t a correct sentence. It’s the feeling the choice of words evokes in the mind, the heart, even the soul of the reader.

It’s in the quickening of the pulse. In the holding of ones breath. And in the relief or the shock or the embarrassment the reader now feels because of you and your words. Words that draw the reader in, words that sink into the readers skin and make them keep reading.

And they keep reading because they can’t pull away. If they do, their skin will tear, you’ve pulled them in so deep.

That’s the kind of writing I want to do. I know I can. I’ve always just played it safe. You know, “be on the safe side.”

I’m the person who thinks all those sarcastic, gnarled, chaotic thoughts inside her head. I just don’t say them out loud.

Well, my goal in further writing on this site and anywhere else I write will be to write what I’m thinking. What everyone is thinking but just never says except that one friend. You know, that one friend who isn’t afraid of saying the truth at all costs. She’ll blurt out whatever is hanging in the air. Not because she’s uncouth or undignified but simply because she knows that saying the safe thing is boring and doesn’t hook the audience.

She knows how to shock the world and not be afraid of it. She knows how to engage her audience without being malicious or condescending or inconsiderate.

Funny thing is, I used to be that way. I used to be opinionated. I used to be mouthy. And speak my mind. But somewhere along the way, I learned to be a good girl and keep my shut. To not say something if I couldn’t say anything nice. Not because I was ever mean – I didn’t say unkind things, usually – I just didn’t always say the “proper” thing.

Instead of saying the proper thing, I want to say the thing I’m really thinking. Most of those close to me know that I usually do speak my mind. I’m sarcastic as all hell, I don’t beat around the bush and I just say what needs to be said.

Not so with writing. I play it safe. I write what I’m expected to write. I write how I’m expected to write. And today I vow to be that friend who just blurts out whatever needs to be said. It may be construed as offensive. It may be politically incorrect.

But today? I’ve learned safety is over-rated.

Thank you.

In the arena,

If you’re a writer or a wanna-be writer, feel free to check out the Write-of-Passage challenge. It’s open to everyone and anyone who wants to be a part. Right now, it’s in “beta” but next week, it begins for real. So far, it’s proving to be a great community.

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.