How {and why} to Write and Share Your Story

You’re wondering how to become a writer or share your story

You want to share your story in a way that people can read, connect with, and learn from.

You’ve thought about sharing your story, writing a book, creating a blog, or maybe just putting a pen to paper in a journal.

You’re asking yourself, “How on earth do I do that? Do I even want to share my story?”

I’m often asking myself that question too.

Even after 15 years of writing and blogging and sharing, I still wonder why it matters or ask myself if I should keep writing the stories.

My story has gotten complicated and has taken turns that I never imagined.

Do I still share? Do I still have a voice to speak after all of this?

I want to be good writer, a faithful writer that courageously shares real stories, real faith and real help to anyone on this journey of life. I want to help women who might be on a journey like mine, with a complicated story or with words that feel unsharable.

When I write, I want to write with purpose in a way that resources and encourages anyone who is reading.

Thankfully, in a world full of ways to express yourself through writing whether in a short posts like instagram or long form on a blog, anyone really can be a writer. If you write in a journal, you’re a writer.

Between my blog, e-magazines, and other websites, I’ve dipped my toes a bit in the writing world and have found such a community of friends, a bounty of encouragement, and a whole new way of connecting with those around me.

In coaching, I want to be a safe place for women to share their stories for the first time, the stories that have been buried and unseen. For that, they need to know my story and know that I hear them, understand them, hold their stories with them.

I want to write for these women, to share the things they can’t always say.

I write very conversationally and not always in complete sentences or with fantastic grammar, much to the chagrin of my older sister.

I write in a way that speaks how I speak, wanting my voice to come through the words.

Writing is an amazing thing.

Yet, in all of this, I still wonder. How does this writing thing happen? Can we become writers of our stories in a way that impacts someone else? How can we let God use our words in positive, helpful, good ways?

Can I keep my writing from adding to the chaos of words in the world today? Can I write without continuing the debates that are flying around us?

Can I share my story without weaponizing my words or passively saying something I don’t need to say?

Can I commit to pray over every word?

How can I be good stewards of the story God is writing in my life?

Is it possible to offer up every single page, the most complicated parts of the story for His glory?

I believe it is possible. For you and for me.

In whatever platform, whatever network, whatever place you find yourself, just start.

Start sharing your story. Start journaling.

Start putting words together.

Push back against the fear.

Pray about every word.

Share your story.

and just start writing.

Now, believe me. There is a lot more to it than that.

You can join a community like hope*writers.

Get help from the best with Gretchen Louise.

You can take an English class from a local community college.

Up your word game with Sticky Blogging.

Keep in mind the tightrope of social media.

Make those newsletters amazing.

It’s all a huge part of writing your story. They’re valuable tools that are necessary to write successfully and with excellence.

I don’t want to minimize the work, the time and the tears that will be poured into becoming a writer.

Tears will be shed. I promise.

The vulnerability needed to share the story that is pounding on your heart will take your breath away some days.

So along with the links above, my first advice when asked about becoming a writer is to just start writing.

Find a quiet place, a notebook, a printed journal template, or your laptop, and just start writing.

If you’re worried about someone reading it, use a platform that can be password protected.

Let the words come as you process the pages of your story.

It will be very messy at first. You might realize that you do have parts of the story that you need to talk with someone about. Reach out.

Just keep writing the messy words and pour out the thoughts, emotions, feelings, and complicated situations.

Write what God is saying.

Write quotes of authors you love. Try poetry. Brain dump and bullet journal. Keep track of all the things. Take notes during podcasts or youtube videos.

Keep writing.

Let Jesus use the words, the process, and the pages of your story to encourage, uplift, help, and challenge you and, maybe… then, share with someone else.

Even after years of writing, I have to remind myself to write, to be brave, and to share.

Just recently, I was browsing through facebook and saw a question about an overseas worker looking for a coach come up in a group that I’m apart of.

With my heart pounding, I shared some information and a link to my website as an answer to her question. I had to push through the fear and put myself out there one more time. I soon received an email from the person who needed someone to talk to.

Friends, someone needs you to push through the fear of hitting publish, of sharing a link, of writing your story.

Someone is looking for you to share a story that helps them in their current season. You might reach a group of someones who’ve been through the same things and might need to know they aren’t alone in their stories.

That someone could be you. or me. All of us allowing God to use our stories to help someone else.

Lilias Trotter once said, “You can never tell to what untold glories any little humble path may lead if you follow far enough.”

I can’t tell you where this little humble path of writing may take you. I can’t yet say where it will take me.

I don’t yet know how to share my current story or the pages of the past few years.

I’ll get there. You’ll get there.

The process of becoming a writer starts with getting out a pen and letting the words free.

Let them encourage yourself or someone else on the same journey.

Where are you in the process of writing your story, sharing your story?

What challenges are you facing?