The hard thing about being a writer is that we have to somehow please every single person—in our heads. This may not be true for all writers, but for me and many like me, the act of writing itself can be a stressful and anxiety ridden area. Constantly over analyzing which sentence sounds better, which metaphor has the most meaning (let alone which one people will understand *rolls eyes*), If each single sentence has the most potential it could have, and a plethora of other extraneous things that really don’t even need to be thought about but we do anyway because we can’t help it and that’s how our minds work. That sentence I just wrote right there, right now I’m wondering if it’s too long and if I should edit it or if the elongated sentence demonstrates the sort of stream of conscious behavior a writer’s mind has. Stream of consciousness is, to put plainly, when the writer just continuously writes everything that flows through their mind. They don’t edit it or stop to think about it, they just write. With that said, I guess I’ll keep it in.

When I write these articles I always have the most doubt in myself as opposed to when I really write. When I refer to my writing I’m referring to my existential stream of consciousness style, now I’ve already explained stream of consciousness so let me attempt to briefly explain existentialism without boring you all. it’s highly different than what you all read in these articles and most books, only a few big time authors used it in their writings at times. Essentially, existentialism means that the individual is the one who puts sincere meaning in their life and everything they do. They apply meaning to everything. I am by no means doing the actual definition justice, I mean it’s a whole school of philosophy. Just remember it's applying meaning to everything, especially ourselves. Perhaps this will help:

So, what do writers like me do? We have to somehow integrate our style with what is considered the “norm”. Through the last few articles I have weaved my style through the paragraphs that way I am not only satisfied, but the people can understand what it is I’m trying to say while still be exposed to what I can actually do. The problem is that it is hard to reign in our individualized style. It feels like your killing your individuality or your writing. So why do it? Well, writers have a lot to learn, I mean we have to learn just about everything we write about if it doesn't come from first hand experience. I write for The Odyssey because I am not restricted as much and I can also learn about networking, social media, and how writing fits in. Selfishly, it also gives me a window to try and show people my style. So when some of us don't get likes, comments, shares, or anything like that it can be discouraging. For me, writing is about touching people. I just want people to read my work and feel a sense of comfortability, understanding, and inspiration.

With that said, writing is one of the most painful things someone can do to themselves. It was Ernest Hemingway who said:

This is true because writers want to transport people to a world called the “Sublime”. The Sublime is when the rhetor (the person speaking/telling the story) can transport the audience to a feeling of emotional elevation of the highest degree. It is making the audience feel really understood, happy, and inspired. That is a huge responsibility for someone to take on. For me, that’s what I try to do every time I write. So when I feel like I have to cut out a lot of things, the ones I know are some of my best moments in that particular writing, then I feel sad. For lack of a better word.

Writers bleed every moment they write, and if they don’t then they are not allowing themselves to truly write. Writing is meant to come from pure and raw emotion, experience, pain, love, happiness, it is suppose to make you feel. If the writer is feeling, then you (the audience) will feel.

This is what writing is about. Writing isn’t just throwing some words around and hoping they sound good. Writing is not about censoring yourself. It is not about leaving something out, it is about going to war with yourself in order to release your own individuality. It is about releasing who you are as a writer. It is meant to be scary. It is meant to be exhausting. It is meant to bring out who you truly are. It is frightening to confront yourself and rip all of that feeling out just to scribble it on a page in order to hopefully have people appreciate it. When people don’t give a “like” or a “share” or even talk about it with you then it is like a dagger piercing every inch of your body. Writers have the most fragile personalities out there. Hence why so many of them become drinkers, drug abusers, recluses, commit suicide, and every stereotype you may know.

When I write these articles sometimes I want to give up because I feel like I am not a good writer. Simply because I do not write the same way everyone else does. I feel like I am incapable of fulfilling my dreams and that people just don’t like my writing. Discouragement and writing go hand in hand like that. One of the biggest things that can cause a downfall in an individual is Discouragement. We can be perfectly happy doing whatever it is that we do, but once someone says anything negative or we feel what we are doing is not being well received, we panic. We become discouraged. Now, discouragement can go a few ways such as lightly doubting yourself for short while but still trying, doubt that festers and makes you question your pursuit, or it turns into self- doubt that can eat you from the inside out forcing you to quit.

Discouragement is a terribly pesky thing we all catch at some point, it is inevitable. Some of us can catch it for a few days and some of us can be plagued with it for months or years. It all depends on how you react. What is worth more, quitting, not giving yourself another chance and risking never knowing what could happen, or finding encouragement, carrying on the pursuit, and seeing where your dream takes you? What's more important? what others think of you or what you think of you? Be discouraged if you encounter it, it's perfectly normal, but do not dwell in it, rise over it, let it fuel your pursuit. You have something great to do, so do it.

If you are a writer keep writing. Do not stop. Please. Because if you do then you will take away a special gift in this world that no one else has. We are unique in our ways, do not murder it. If you like reading, understand that we cannot stop writing. We are in pain if we stop, our life has no meaning, there is an emptiness in us. Not writing is the worst pain we can feel because we feel nothing. I hope this article helped you really appreciate what your favorite author goes through for you. Maybe, this will even inspire you to write yourself.