“The risk of being known is also the decision to be criticized by some… So I wrote. I wrote as though God thought my voice mattered. I wrote because I believed a human story was beautiful, no matter how small the human was. I wrote because I didn’t make myself, God did. And I wrote like he’d invited me to share my true “self” with the world.” -Donald Miller, Scary Close

I am still loving “Scary Close” by Donald Miller. He writes about his own writing process. His first book he wrote quickly, in about eight months, then his next book he wrote in eight months and it became a bestseller. The next book he felt like playing it “safe.” It took him much longer to write the book because now there were expectations.

He noticed that as we succeed there is more to lose. If we try something and nothing comes of it, then there isn’t anything “lost.” But when you succeed then there are greater expectations to repeat the success you experienced before.

He talks a lot in this book (like many of his others) about vulnerability. This quote was about him learning to let go of the expectations others had for him and just to be himself. This quote is about recognizing that there are critical people out in the world. They might trash your work. They might publicly condemn you. They might make you want to hide underground.

That kind of reaction is exactly what they want. You cannot allow someone’s criticism keep you from being who you are and expressing your true “self.” There is something in who you are that is unique to you alone. We need to hear your voice even if some people might not resonate with it. There are, however, others who do resonate with your voice. Those are the people you want to share your words with, despite the haters.

I just wanted you all to be encouraged as your work through your poetry, your short stories, your novels, your masterpieces to ignore the haters and express yourself exactly the way you are!

Check out Donald Miller’s book, “Scary Close” on Amazon.

– Jason