The Power of Telling the Truth in Your Writing

Even When It’s Messy

Jun 21, 2025

There was a time I thought I had to have it all together before I could write. I had to be confident. Certain. Polished. Fearless.

But the truth? I’ve been afraid more times than I can count. I’ve questioned whether my words matter. I’ve stared at the screen, wondering if I was foolish to keep going when the world felt silent in return.

But I kept going.

You Don’t Have to Feel Ready

Because if I waited until I felt ready, I wouldn’t have written a single word.

Some days, I write through brain fog. Other days, I wrestle with procrastination that disguises itself as “rest.” And then there are the moments I’m hit with the familiar whisper: Who are you to call yourself a writer?

But I’ve learned something powerful: those doubts don’t disqualify me. They make me human.

And I’m not the only one who feels them.

So instead of hiding my struggles, I started putting them on the page. I wrote about fear of judgment. About feeling like I’d never be good enough. About starting over more times than I can count. About how quitting felt easier than continuing, but how purpose wouldn’t let me stop.

And something surprising happened: people connected with it.

Writers started replying to my emails. Commenting on my posts. Messaging me privately to say, “You wrote exactly what I’ve been feeling but didn’t know how to say.”

That’s the power of emotional honesty. It builds bridges between our hearts and the people we’re called to reach.

Because here’s the truth: your mess isn’t a mistake. Your story, uncertain, unfinished, imperfect, is exactly what someone else needs to hear. Not to fix them, but to remind them they’re not alone.

The Unexpected Gift of Honesty

When we write honestly, we give people permission to struggle. But more than that, we give them hope.

So if you’re staring at a blank page, thinking you have nothing worth saying, I want to encourage you:

Write the messy version. Speak from your heart. Let your fear show, and then write your way through it.

Your vulnerability isn’t weakness, it’s your superpower.

Go First

There’s someone out there who doesn’t need your perfection. They need your truth. They need your voice. They need your reminder that it’s okay to be afraid and keep writing anyway.

That’s how we change lives. Not by pretending we have it all together, but by showing up, just as we are.

So today, I give you permission to be real.

To write the thing that scares you.

To say the thing you think no one will understand.

Because someone will.

And they’ll be grateful you were brave enough to go first.

Resources

I love watching

Derek Hughes

journey. We both started writing on Medium around the same time, but he has gained so much more traction than I because he was a lot more focused. I have purchased a few of his products in hopes of replicating some of his success. Not sure if I nailed it, I’ll let you be the judge.