The advice to “be yourself” is typically applied to many different life areas.
When talking about relationships or meeting new people, we’re encouraged to be ourselves so that our relationship is based on our authentic self and not a false image that we’re presenting.
Our quote today is about being ourselves in our writing. William Zinsser, a well-known and highly respected writing professor, wrote, “Readers want the person talking to them to sound genuine. Therefore a fundamental rule is: be yourself.” On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition.
How to “Be Yourself” As a Writer
But what exactly does it mean to be yourself as a writer? Being yourself means:
• We say things the way we would say them. Being yourself means saying things the way you would and not necessarily how someone else would say them. Dictating a rough first draft using a mind map as a guide makes my edited writing more conversational and authentic. I wrote about this in a recent blog post, Dictation: A Game-Changer for Creative Writing.
• We are honest about our thoughts and practices. Don’t say what you think you should say, but what you think and do. Don’t bend the truth to make yourself sound more competent or consistent than you are. Gain readers’ trust by telling the truth, including your failures and weaknesses. Being open and honest with readers gains you more trust, not less. People identify with an actual human who sounds genuine.
• We are not afraid to be unique. Sometimes, we feel that in order to fit in or be respected, we need to blend in by doing what everyone else in our field is doing. However, if you sound like everyone else, who cares? Why should readers read what you write? Your value is your unique perspective and your unique voice. If you sound like everyone else, you’re not being you.
“Instead of following the crowd and competing with others to do a task better, why not take the time to discover what truly suits you and what fewer people are pursuing?” When Things Don’t Go Your Way, by Haemin Sunim and Charles La Shure.
• We do our own writing. Don’t let artificial intelligence do your creative writing for you. That isn’t being yourself. Instead, you’re being a machine that’s producing predictive text. Do your own creative writing. I recently wrote a blog about this, From Copycats to Creativity and Authenticity: Why AI Isn’t the Future of Writing.
• We are not afraid to disagree with respected writers. When I read the book How to Calm Your Mind by Chris Bailey, I had some significant disagreements with his positions in his book about the supposed superiority of analog tools over digital tools. Chris Bailey is a creator whom I respect. I heard other people I respect give his book glowing reviews and quote some of his statements as though they were proven mantras.
I agonized over writing a critical view. I was afraid of what people might think of me if I took a different position or was critical of some of the statements made in the book. It took me months to write and rewrite that post numerous times, and I finally decided to publish it.
The amazing thing was that the only feedback I received was positive. Others had also questioned some of Bailey’s conclusions. They were happy to read a critical review.
If you’d like to read the post I’m referencing, it is A Review of How To Calm Your Mind, by Chris Bailey.
Be Yourself in Your Writing
Being yourself in your writing is crucial to engaging with readers and establishing trust.
It means speaking in your voice, being honest, embracing your uniqueness, and staying true to your creativity. Don’t be afraid to disagree with respected writers or take a different stance in your writing.
Writing authentically is a journey that requires practice and dedication, but the result is well worth it. So, go forth and write uniquely – the world is waiting to hear your voice.