I’ve been writing for a couple of decades but I’ve only just begun to trust my own voice.
I was happy writing as a news reporter, tv producer, marketing specialist, communications officer. I’ve done news and current affair stories, newsletters, websites and social media, press releases and even a chapter in a book on World War One called, ‘Blackboy Hill is Calling’.
But writing as me, I floundered.
I wanted to share what I’ve learned from exceptional journalists about how to write. I wanted to encourage business owners to write their own content.
But writing as me, despite all my experience, was desperately hard because I didn’t trust my voice.
For four years, it’s been starts and stops.
I’d have a good patch, like the year I wrote posts for Her Business such as ‘The most important story you’ll ever tell’ and ‘What to do when writing’s a struggle’.
But my confidence stagnated as I saw other people writing about how to write and doing it better than me.
I was spinning my wheels and by the end of 2018, I was really down on myself.
Finally, in utter frustration, I realised I had to follow the advice I’d written for my business cards.
And I’ve tried to ‘Be Bold and Tell Real Stories’ since then. Stories about my struggles with writing, ethics and integrity, of making mistakes and getting it wrong, of not always being able to right those wrongs.
As I published each one, I felt vulnerable and nervous. But also exhilarated to bring my values to my work.
I finally accepted what I always knew deep down: Every voice that is true and genuine will attract the audience that’s right for them.
