Nonwriters
Sharing your ideas in public is easy, generous, good for us, and good for you. Here’s why and how to start.
94% of people don't write in public. That’s too bad because it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself and others. I counted: of 250 LinkedIn posts in my feed, only 6% showed selfless effort; the rest were thoughtless, boastful, or promotional.
Even some famous artists don’t write. Rick Rubin said, "I don't like this trend of non-writing artists. Dylan and the Beatles made it cool for artists to write their own stuff, and that was a good thing."
Writing in public is generous. Emerson said, "Everyone I meet is my master in some point, and in that, I learn from you."
Try it. Keep it simple. Forget blogging, books, or poetry. Just find an article, video, or post that stirs you. Write one thing about why you loved it. Click share. That’s all it takes.
Seth Godin is the king of writing in public. His 7,000+ post streak on his blog dates back to 2008, is Cal Ripkin-ish. So I'll leave you with his words from The Practice:
"The creativity you put into your work is an opportunity for better. It opens doors and turns on lights.
It connects the disconnected and creates the bonds of culture. Writing transforms the recipient, even as it allows individuals to become "us."
Writing is the human act of doing something that might not work and causing change to happen.
Work that matters. For people who care.
Not for applause, not for money. But because we can.
Writing solves a problem for anyone who touches our work. This is the generous act of turning on a light. Not only does the light help you read, it helps everyone else in the room as well.
The thing is, shipping your writing is for the audience. You've already seen it, understood it, and experienced it. But that's insufficient because without sharing the work, you can't make change happen. It's not enough to please yourself."
Write! We want to learn from you. It’s easy. Be generous. Open doors. Change the world.
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