Am I Vain to Want to Be a Writer?

Am I vain to want to be a writer? Do you have something important to share?

You may wonder if you are the right fit to contribute a chapter to a compilation book written by LNCs.  I am currently starting work on the fourth volume of Medical Record Analysis, the bestselling series of books written by LNCs for attorneys. You may question: do you deserve to be a writer? Is this vanity?

You still wonder about the vanity part. “Vanity” has negative connotations.

You may be thinking:

Am I vain to want to see my work in print?

In this context, vanity refers to excessive pride in or admiration of one’s achievements or appearance.

Wanting to see your work in print is something other than vanity. It’s a natural desire for validation and recognition of your expertise in understanding medical records and issues. Being part of a book is also a way to share your ideas and stories with a broader audience.

Personal Accomplishment

• When Arlene finally saw her chapter in print, it wasn’t just about pride. It was about achieving a goal she had worked tirelessly towards for years. The printed book was a tangible representation of her perseverance and dedication.

Professional Growth

• Jenelle’s goal was to establish herself as the go-to LNC in her area for criminal cases.  Her chapter established her credibility in her area.

Am I vain to want to see my name on a table of contents?

Imagining the joy of seeing your name on a chapter isn’t about vanity. It’s about acknowledging the hard work and creativity that went into your writing. It’s also a form of self-motivation and a celebration of your writing identity.

Recognition of Effort

• For Nancy, seeing her name on a table of contents was a way to recognize the hours she spent writing and revising her manuscript. It symbolized the culmination of her hard work.

Inspiration for Others

• Janice imagined her name on a book cover to attract attorney clients. As a home care nurse, she had particular expertise in understanding the liability issues of home care. Her chapter helped her get clients. 

Validation of Talent

• Lisa struggled with self-doubt for years. Visualizing her name on a chapter was a way to combat those doubts and validate her talent and writing potential.

Am I kidding myself about having any ability to write?

Self-doubt refers to a lack of confidence in one’s abilities or skills.

Self-doubt is common among writers, but it doesn’t mean you lack talent. Writing is a skill that can be developed with practice and dedication. Remember that even the most successful authors have questioned their abilities at some point.

Positive Feedback

• After receiving positive feedback from her peers, Laura realized her self-doubt was unfounded. Her peers appreciated her unique voice and storytelling abilities.

Continuous Improvement

• After comparing his recent work to his earlier drafts, Matt saw the progression of his writing skills. He saw significant improvement, which reassured him that he was on the right path.

Do I have anything worth saying?

Worth, in this context, refers to the value or importance of something. Every LNC has a unique perspective and experiences worth sharing. 

Your voice and stories can resonate with others and provide new insights. Believing in the worth of your writing is crucial to finding your audience.

Personal Stories

• Mary Beth created composite stories based on some of the cases she was involved with to help make the points about hidden injuries after head trauma. 

Unique Perspectives

• Tammy’s chapter on how the LNC assists with toxic tort cases showed her expertise in working on these kinds of cases. 

Educational Content

• Deneene’s chapter on sexual assault in long-term care explained the clues that an assault had taken place – in a population often unable to report the incident. Her work would be appreciated by attorneys looking for ways to improve their understanding of these cases.

Imposter Syndrome and Writers

Imposter syndrome refers to inadequacy and self-doubt despite evident success or competence.

Did you know that imposter syndrome is a common issue among writers? It involves doubting your achievements and fearing that others will expose you as a fraud. 

Recognizing these feelings is the first step towards overcoming them and embracing your identity as a writer.

Acknowledge Your Achievements

• Mariann’s extensive experience writing brought her recognition for her accomplishments, which helped her recognize her achievements.

Embrace Growth

• Lucy accepted that feeling like an imposter was part of the growth process. She used it as motivation to keep learning and improving her writing skills.

Every Writer Has Questions

Any writer who denies this is lying. A writer’s time in the self-doubt zone may vary, but we all know its dimensions. We know how it smells and feels. Imposter syndrome refers to feelings of inadequacy despite evident success.

Having these questions doesn’t mean you’re not a writer. It also doesn’t mean you are.

I can guarantee you’ll never discover whether you are or are not while you remain stuck in the zone of self-doubt. Whatever you write while in it will look like the worst drivel you ever read.

How do you get out of it? 

Say, “I want to build my writing skills!”

That doesn’t mean to write. It could mean any of the following:

Learn the Rules

Improve your grammatical and vocabulary skills. Many useful websites are available. Some have tests that can help you discover your weak areas. 

You can focus on learning the rules if you need clarification about correct comma placement.

The more confident you are about grammar, punctuation, and spelling, the more attention you can pay to writing. The writing will become easier.

Read Books and Blogs About Writing

Check out my book, 52 Writing Tips: Fast and Easy Ways to Polish Your Writing.

You can ask writer friends what books stand out for them. You can search on Amazon, look for books with high ratings, and read the comments.

Blogs about writing abound. After reading a few posts, the advantage of exploring blogs is that you can tell whether one will suit you.

Believe in Yourself

Nothing is more important. You may be a writer, and you may not, but you’ll never know until you try. Believing in yourself means not resigning writing to a “might have been” category of regrets.

It is not vanity to enjoy the sight of a box full of your books. It is thrilling. I loved opening up the box of my latest book.

You deserve to be a writer. And others deserve to learn what you know. We’re here to help others.

Every writer faces these questions and doubts at some point in their journey. Recognize that these feelings are a natural part of the creative process. You deserve to be a writer; your voice and stories are valuable. Keep writing, believing in yourself, and knowing you are not alone.

Remember if~ 

1. There is an article or chapter trapped inside you that is aching to get written.
2. You are interested in developing or expanding your ability to write for publication.
3. You need help figuring out how to get started as an author.
4. The idea of writing seems so overwhelming that you do not know how to start.
5. You are afraid of being embarrassed by misusing words.
6. You are concerned with avoiding traps associated with being an author or editor.

Then join us for the fourth volume of Medical Record Analysis as we start work on assembling the authors for this latest volume of our Amazon bestselling book. Get more details here.

 

Pat Iyer is president of The Pat Iyer Group, which develops resources to assist LNCs in obtaining more clients, making more money, and achieving their business goals and dreams.

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Pat’s related websites the podcasts broadcast at podcast.legalnursebusiness.com, and writing tips supplied at patiyer.com.

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