Remembering Why We Write
A few days ago, I received a gift, from one of my followers, Michael Evarts: a comment sharing an important memory of his family on an “inappropriate” topic (death). I appreciated the comment and the story inside for many reasons but I also experienced something important related to writing.
I’m not a writer but I’m aspiring to be one. I started writing on Medium in May 2017. I’ve only 23 followers. Really not so much. But, except for my wife and one friend, I knew none of them before. New persons to speak to (sometimes with). They were not “obliged” to read me. I didn’t tell them “I unfriend you on Facebook if you don’t follow me on Medium”. And, of course, clap me until the mouse does not separate us.
Having the opportunity to speak to persons that I didn’t know before is stimulating, even though they are few and they can’t follow me all the time. There is a good feeling with some of them. Medium has flaws, but I think it brings together one of the best online communities out there.
Coincidentally, Tom Kuegler, who has some few followers more than me (9.9K on his personal profile only, to date), the day after answered to one of my comments with: “it’s not even like you’re necessarily writing to grow a huge audience or anything like that, you’re just trying to be heard”.
At first, his words may seem not entirely convincing, at least to me (to be clear, I’m referring to these words only, because I like what Tom says, here and in general). For aspiring writers or authors, audience matters a lot. They want to be heard, but they need to grow an audience.
But the long and moving comments of Michael put the two things together.
When one of our stories resonates in one reader, and this reader shares his/her’s important memories, something is triggered. Who is popular on Medium knows this well. Tom probably knows this well.
The comment of Michael, apart from the interesting and pleasant sharing, made me feel like my mission with that story was accomplished. The one reader, as they say, understood my words. And, even better, gave his interesting words back.
For one moment, the “audience” doesn’t matter. It’s as if a circle was closed. As if your story was worth writing. You strongly feel your purpose as a writer.
Writers need an audience. They need marketing. Unfortunately, for many writers, one reader is not enough to continue writing.
But we should never forget why we’re writing. We should never forget the one reader. We should never forget ourselves in the search for an audience.
Michael and Tom, thanks.
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