Writing all wrong?

You've called it quits with the story or poem or song lyrics or what have you; you've chosen your community, and decided into which realms your piece belongs. You give it a final read then, tentatively, your tummy likely in knots, you hit PUBLISH.

There. Into the ether of cyberspace, and the cloud it goes. When you get the okay, that your work has been approved, you wait a bit then check back to see if there are any 'read's. It's been at least 5 minutes. Oh, have you misjudged your timing? Chances are you have.

You live for 'LIKE’s these days. You tell yourself that you're happy just to be published. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. A 'read' is a bonus, even just one. You tell yourself that, while determining to 'leave it awhile'. Patience. It's a virtue, apparently.

Life intrudes, as it seems to do, scattering thoughts and phrasing to that place no one but you seems to go.

Perhaps you should contemplate and determine whether to pace yourself and take a break, or you decide you must immediately launch into another bit of writing.

No. Life beckons.

It seems an eternity since you last took your seat before the almighty computer screen.

You see you have Facebook friends sharing their likes and loves and laughs and cares and the panoply of reactions available for a quick commentary. Then you realize you haven't checked email in awhile. You hit the mail selection and, if you're me, you half-heartedly scroll through the promotions and updates, answer whatever needs attention and, then, decide which Amazon delivery updates can be deleted.

There.That took a fair amount of time. Is it time to check to see if there's a like or comment? Some of us, the more recent subscribers and, perhaps, less skilled writers – are apt to be gobsmacked when we see the number of subscribers and prizes other contributors have to their credit. You wonder, yet again, what you're doing wrong.

Reorienting yourself, you go back to something else online that you convince yourself is promising. A bit of news or information that, while interesting in itself, is ripe fodder for coverage.

After reading all the subject matter you can dredge about whatever it is that has piqued your interest, you wonder if there's a story in it. Not just a story, but an angle that you can elucidate. Is it straight news demanding a somber tone or something that may best be treated satirically? Is it a poem, what kind of poem? Is it an opinion piece? Does anyone else care? Aye, there's the rub.

After checking Stats and Wallet one more time, you rejoice if there's an increase, or mourn over static results.

How can I hope ever to accomplish what the top achievers have managed, you ask yourself. What is it that readers find worthy of a read, maybe a like? What next?

You close the open browsers, planning to resume at your next opportunity. You feel deflated that you don't have what other writers have?

It's pointless, you decide, and plan to practice guitar in the spare time you've been allocating to the writing endeavor. What's the point? It's a mammoth hurdle. Disheartened, you scroll through your published stories. Some of them you don't even remember, some assure you you're on the right track, and some, you realize, are pure hubris. Your collected works. You have those. They're something most people can't claim. It’s enough. At least for now.

You settle yourself with a book or a TV show and let your mind wander into other people's imaginations. It's a much needed break from wracking your brains trying to pinpoint where it all went so horribly wrong. What were you even thinking?

The TV drones on, chapters of the book go by and you're in that other world, where make believe thrives. Let go and just be. Let go and celebrate what you've accomplished in your writing.

Damn right. I've done my best, I've poured my heart and soul into my writing and it's good enough. As ‘they’ say, “You're good enough.”

Oh shit. That would be a good article.