A writer’s world is generally a solitary one.  Even with partnerships and co-authoring, group projects and such, when it comes right down to it writing is a solitary sport.  For some folks it’s even more solitary because they write, and their writing is their own little secret.

I recently started a Writer’s Forum with Tracy O’Connor at her  I Hate My Message Board site.  I think that one of the most interesting things I discovered were the amount of folks who considered themselves “closet writers”.  While I think there is not a true and complete definition in place for this term, I would consider someone a closet writer if they put words to paper and no one other than them ever sees it.

The other thing that became clear is that some folks just have no intention of writing for others to read.  In terms of closet writers, I think that these personal writers are in the minority.  I think that most closet writers are in the closet because they they think that:

• Their writing isn’t good enough for anyone to see
• No one would read it anyway
• They may fail at writing (fear of criticism)
• They may succeed at writing

There may be any number of reasons a particular writer stays hidden in the shadows, but I’d bet these are probably the most common.  And just let me say that if someone is really ok with being in the shadows, then far be it for me to drag them kicking and screaming into the cold, harsh light.  For those others that need a little nudge and encouragement to take those first baby steps, this post’s for you.

First, your writing is good enough.  It really is.  No matter if your grammar is imperfect or if you are the queen of dangling participles.  If you really want to call yourself a writer and put your stuff out there you must kill your perfectionist.  Stomp the ever-lovin’ life out of that sod and kick him to the curb.  At some point you may come back and pull him from the gutter, but if your perfectionist is keeping you from moving forward, he needs to go away – at least for a while.

People will read what you write, and there are literally dozens of venues from which to choose.  You could post at forums, start a blog, join a writer’s group.  There are ways to get your writing read.  Explore the options that are the most comfortable for you.

What is your definition of failure?  Is it reasonable? If you think failure is not having your first novel end up on the NYT Best seller list then you need to re-evaluate your meaning of failure.  Set reasonable expectations for what you want to accomplish and your chances of failure go way down.  Don’t know where to start? Consider the intimate setting of having someone you trust have a look at your writing.  It’s very important that you trust and respect this person.  Handing over that first manuscript to someone can be a lump in your throat experience.

As strange as it seems, some folks are scared to death of being successful.  Oh, they may not realize or verbalize it, but their interior word track tells them that they are not worthy of success and therefore should not even try to move forward with this process.  This could keep someone in the closet for a very long time.  Try to keep in mind that the brass ring is there for the taking, and that no one deserves this more than you.  There is a great post today over at The Adventurous Writer with 13 outstanding tips on improving your confidence.  It is worth it to head on over and check it out.

There is nothing wrong with being a closet writer if that is what you truly want.  If you are a closet writer because of these other barriers, then go ahead and take your first few steps and come on in – The water’s fine!