Stop Trashing Your Cringy Writing

I can't be alone when I say that I've looked back on some of my past writing and the only things that came to my mind were to ask myself what in the world made me write something like that or to look for the closest thing to help me set it on fire. 

At least I hope I'm not alone. 

Writers tend to overanalyze and be overly critical of their own work to the point where we would rather throw it away and pretend it never existed than take on the monumental task of trying to turn it into a workable piece of fiction. 

It's time we stop doing that. 

Some monumentally successful authors look back on their own published works and cringe at them, while there are readers out there who wouldn't be able to point out a single imperfection in the piece if they tried. 

Instead of throwing away these pieces that you may look on with absolute horror, hand them off to a writer friend (with the promise of a bottle of wine or their drink of choice) to help you sort through the rubbish to find the pieces of gold that were hidden beneath the dirt. 

Or just hang on these pieces as proof of your own progress to show to new writers who get disheartened when their writing doesn't come out nearly as eloquent or imaginative as yours does. 

Each and everything we write is a stepping stone on our writing journey that makes us the writers we are today. 

If these works are more recent things you worked on then don't put them away in that For Later box just quite yet. 

Use these pieces to embrace the imperfection of writing, sure they may not be perfect, but perfectionism is a lie. It doesn't exist. You can also use these pieces as a way to learn from your mistakes.

If what you wrote doesn't work and makes you cringe - well what's wrong with it? How can you avoid making the same mistakes in the next thing that you write? 

Even when you edit your writing it should always be in a separate draft from the one you started with so you can look back and celebrate just how far you've come from that very first notion of story. 

Everything you write is worth celebrating.

Keep it all. 

Hoard it as if you would a brand-new book.

Even if it just sits on the shelf, never opened, never touched, never read, it's a wonderful thing to keep around. 

With love, 

B.K. xo xo

Want to write with me live? I'm now on Twitch! Come join me in some writing sprints most days at 10:00 pm EST

____________________________________________________

*If you've liked what you read you can show your support by subscribing, pledging your support, or leaving me a tip that directly supports and aids me as a writer.

By joining Vocal+ you can earn more per read on every story you publish on Vocal.

_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This story was originally posted on Medium. Join Medium as a member for just $5/month to access premium content and help me continue creating articles like these. You can also earn money by posting your own stories using Mediums' Partner Program.

Help power my writing with a virtual coffee! Starting at just $1. Your support keeps my creativity brewing. Treat me to a cup! ☕

Thanks for your support and happy writing!