Showing Personality in my Work

For a long time, I have been writing more instructional pieces for my students. I always try to provide helpful information that that steers them towards their goal, be it writing more often, writing better, or publishing their novel. I enjoy making this content and I have an endless supply of questions from my students that I can answer in videos.

However, my videos, my lessons and articles, are lacking a quality I had in the very beginning. I sacrificed my personality for professionalism. I realized this after watching another writer’s video, 21st Century Writer, who discussed a similar issue. My lessons and these podcasts have been lacking the personal touch that would make them so much more.

Thinking on it further, my favourite teachers growing up were the ones who didn’t act like teachers. These teachers connect with their students, joke with them, even work with them. That is something I need in my work, not only for my sake but for any interested beginner writer looking for some help.

Of course, there are many ways I can do this, but I think the best one is to take a breath, stop reading my mental scripts word for word, and write instinctively. I need to discuss these professional aspects of writing in an almost unprofessional way, talking to my students as if we were all having a cup of coffee in a cafe, rather than in a classroom.

Doing this, I think I can be of more help, and that should be reason enough for me to give it a try.

Yet, I am still new to this. Even this monologue is scripted, as I find it easier to write these thoughts out before I say them.

In addition to this small update to my style, I am also bringing back short stories and short story podcasts. I enjoyed reading many of my short stories a year or two ago, and I noticed some listeners felt the same way, but I ended up stopping that as well. Mainly because I felt self-conscious reading them.

Usually, I write thriller/horror short stories. Dark tales that talk about crazed killers, ancient monsters and other paranormal threats. Yet, while I enjoy writing these stories, designing the next nightmare if you will, I lack the guts to read them. Almost as if saying them out loud makes me sound like a lunatic myself, or perhaps it simply isn’t the content many of my listeners would enjoy.

However, I forgot many of my subscribers subscribed for those short stories.

So, I’m telling you now, when the day comes that my horror short story podcasts start popping up, don’t feel obligated to listen if its not your cup of tea. But do keep an eye out for podcasts or even vlogs, where I talk about writing.

Anyway, I will leave it here. I think I’ve said all that I want to say, thank you for listening.

Good day, goodnight and happy writing!

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