Anything you write could always be a bit better with more editing. The real barrier between you and the “Publish” button is not technical but psychological. The more you chase after the illusion of perfection, or even “readiness,” the more you become paralyzed by the fear of judgment.
Welcome back to Write of Passage Weekly, where you learn how to write online and share what you know with the world.
Last week, we discussed why you are not your career. Today, you’ll learn how pre-publishing feedback can cure your creative insecurities.
Publish in a Day
Do you struggle to get ideas onto the page? Does perfectionism prevent you from hitting “Publish?” In these one-day workshops, students overcome their blockers to write, edit, and publish something they are proud of. Here’s a selection of articles from alumni of Publish in a Day.
If you’re looking for a deadline, feedback, and accountability, join us on Friday, January 19, to publish your idea in a day.
There is no moment when you are “ready” to share your writing, like what Leonardo da Vinci said about art: it is never finished, only abandoned. Anything you write could always be a bit better with more editing. The real barrier between you and the “Publish” button is not technical but psychological. The more you chase after the illusion of perfection, or even “readiness,” the more you become paralyzed by the fear of judgment.
The antidote to this fear comes from sharing your draft before you publish it. Share your draft with a curated group of trusted eyes. It will help you overcome the creative insecurities that prevent you from expressing yourself to the world.
Most drafts never get published because they die by a thousand cuts, when you agonize over every detail. Most drafts are picked to shreds, then discarded, never getting a chance to be seen by the spotlight of the public eye. Novelist Erica Jong “went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something you can be judged." Not publishing anything is safe, but it defeats the purpose of writing online.
Sharing your draft can validate your ideas and give you “market feedback” — a general sense of the sentiment from your audience. Send a Google Doc or a Substack draft link to your friends and ask them for their honest first impressions; read it aloud to your spouse; post snippets of it on social media, and see how your followers respond. These are all small yet rewarding ways to get feedback and gain confidence in your writing before hitting that “Publish” button.
Use pre-publishing feedback to get other voices to tell you your strengths and weaknesses — begone, fear of judgment! Let a group of trusted readers give you the courage you need to declare what you believe to the world.
Byrne Hobart has a Substack following of over 50,000 subscribers, consisting of some of the smartest people in Silicon Valley — startup founders, venture capitalists, hedge fund managers. You name it.
Byrne bought his first stock at age 11 and landed a job as a hedge fund analyst without an undergrad degree, but what’s even more impressive is his commitment to being the best, not the first. His writing isn’t recent and flashy; it’s timely and high-quality (there’s a difference). He’s insatiably curious about inflection points in tech and finance, and that passion sings in his writing. Combined with his love for research, this makes Byrne one of the most insightful writers on the Internet.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to use writing to network with extraordinary people. You’ll hear about the differences between business writing cultures (from Amazon to Bridgewater); you’ll learn about the nitty gritty of Byrne’s writing routine (5 am wake-up calls and all); and you’ll gain insights from his reading routine (how he uses reading as a leading indicator for his writing). Ultimately, you’ll get a heavy dose of what it means to write a high-value newsletter for 50,000+ readers.
If you don’t know who to send your draft to, consider talking through the rough spots with ChatGPT. It won’t do the writing for you, but it can help prompt and clarify your thinking. David says, “GPT isn’t a fad. It’s a helpful tool that will last. Use it to write from conversation, fix local problems, and enhance your thinking.”
Thank you for reading Write of PassageWeekly. This week, shoot your in-progress work over to a friend, or read it to a family member, to get their reaction. You might find that feedback quells your fears about publishing your ideas.
Happy writing,
The Write of Passage Team
Write of Passage, 10900 Research Blvd, Ste 160C PMB 3016, Austin, TX 78759
