How much writing do you make public?

Eckhart Aurelius Hughes · Post by **Scott** » 30 Dec 2006, 11:27

How much of what you write do you make public? By make public, I don't just mean publish. Do you ever write anything that you don't ever show anybody, but still keep for yourself?

Sometimes I do that, and I'm not writing about anything personal to me. Usually, I'll write either philosophy, politics, fiction, but every now and then I write something and I end up never even showing it to anyone. Sometimes, even if I know I'm never going to show it or publish it, I still finish writing it. Do you ever do this? Why?

knightss · Post by **knightss** » 30 Dec 2006, 12:26

i have a notebook of poems, plots, lyrics and many other ideas and/or scribbles. i never show them to anybody. the only thing that i do share are my lyrics but they tend to be insignificant and written about people i know for people i know.

it's not that i am afraid to show them to people it just that i like my writing to be private. i really don't know why.

LoveHatesYou · Post by **LoveHatesYou** » 02 Jan 2007, 14:18

I have both. I have 12 or so journals I've scribble don, random thoughts, shorts, little peoms, sentences, ventings, things of that genre that I've filled oer the years. There are some gems in there and occasionally I'll bust it out for a story or something I'm wrotng, or flip through them for inspiration. Mostly though, they are my secret dark little place where I hide myself.

I've published twice in college mags, and in high school publications of course. I also post a bunch of random silliness on my myspce page. I like blogging. I make random statements there. It's fun. If anyone is on myspace and blogs as well, message me, I'd love to read. I like reading othere people's things. It's like getting a book before its hit the market. I feel special to be allowed to read it. I'll post my Michael Crichtom tribute from myspace somewhere on here. I guess under authors??

ktmayo05 · Post by **ktmayo05** » 04 Jan 2007, 19:17

I am ALWAYS writing random things that no one will EVER read - it's almost considered a good thing, being that who really knows how they'll be interpreted.

I actually have two myspace pages -- one, I write religiously (some days I'll write several blogs about whatever comes to mind), and the other is strictly poetry or little story ideas. which a lot of them end up being labeled as "private," hence the whole "who really knows how they'll be interpreted."

DanteAzrael · Post by **DanteAzrael** » 05 Jan 2007, 18:07

I make my writings known online. Most of them at my deviantart site and most of them at my myspace site. I pretty much post all of what I write. The only things I don't post are random scribbles because their mediocre and pointless. Merely a step.

I don't post or publish any of my medicore nothings. I usually destroy them. They don't belong so I won't let them stay.

What I post is the best of me, even if it is personal...it's still personal because it's mine. Whatever they get from it is their's. That makes it personal to them. I never write for anyone though.

Sometimes, even if I know I'm never going to show it or publish it, I still finish writing it. Do you ever do this? Why?

I do it quite often. Mainly, I do it so I can see what it becomes. I have always had a thing at looking at things and possibly seeing what can be made or built. I do the same thing with what I write. I write to see what comes...to see what my own mind and creativity has built there. I consider those type of moments more personal than the poem...something that the readers will never know.

erin77 · Post by **erin77** » 07 Jan 2007, 14:49

I do that with almost all of my writing. some of my poetry goes online but not all of it and i keep all of my essays and short stories to myself. I'm not really sure why i do it but I think I feel like i'm writing what i want and when people read what you've written they tend to judge. And i'd rather not be judged by anyone...as silly as that sounds. and they're special to me so...
I also blog like crazy, whatevers on my mind but its not like that stuff i keep to myself, its more random and unimportant.

Linda · Post by **Linda** » 10 Jan 2007, 07:07

i have tons of notebooks full of writing. usually its a story idea or a poem and unless I have to write for a school assignment, in which case I have to share my work, I don't show anyone. Idk what it is I just don't feel the need to let people see what I've written. I'm not afraid they'd judge me or dislike what I wrote I just don't care enough what others think to bother showing them. Maybe when I find someone I care enough about to show I will...until then I'll continue to keep my writing to myself.

IRYS1 · Post by **IRYS1** » 08 Feb 2007, 23:13

Since I've discovered blogging, I've come out of my shell with sharing my writing more. I'm trying to become better at letting other people review and critique my work. It's got to get out sometime, so I just need to work on letting it go.

NSUSA · Post by **NSUSA** » 30 Nov 2007, 23:55

If you write a lot, you can just make a blog and put it all there as you write it. Barely anyone will probably read it anyway, unless you spend a lot of time promoting your blog and making sure your writing is good. So, you can just put a bunch of stuff there, if you do not mind making it public.

AstonWest · Post by **AstonWest** » 01 Dec 2007, 18:33

I only share my short stories and novels with selected groups of individuals I know who want to read them and give useful critiques. Until those stories and novels are worked through to that point, I don't let a soul read them...

MatthewAlexander · Post by **MatthewAlexander** » 04 Sep 2014, 16:19

I show almost everything I write to a close friend of mine...but other than her no one really sees my work, so I'm not sure how 'public' I really make things.

CJDSpencer · Post by **CJDSpencer** » 04 Sep 2014, 16:53

I write on a daily basis. Most of it is never seen by anyone but me. I write because I MUST write.

If I have something that I think may be of some benefit to someone, I'll show it.

BookCover · Post by **BookCover** » 04 Sep 2014, 16:55

I've written over 100 short self-help articles that I wrote years ago. I keep them in a binder. I thought I'd get them published but - no I don't see that happening. I have a few online they can be read on hubpages. I haven't post any recently... and I haven't been actively writing. I also have a few pieces of poetry. So, only a small percentage of writing has been published. I'm focused on other things now...

Alden Loveshade · Post by **Alden Loveshade** » 04 Sep 2014, 17:45

Do rough drafts count? I've written pages to end up with one three-line haiku. And I only finish about one out of five poems I start, so haven't generally made any effort to show anyone the other four.

But other than that, virtually everything I write I think about getting published whether it actually does or not.

BearMountainBooks · Post by **BearMountainBooks** » 04 Sep 2014, 17:47

I write lots of stuff that never sees the light of day. Some of it is early work, some is a test story, sometimes I go back and re-write a story that, at the time, just wasn't coming together. There are some short stories I wrote for specific magazines (a style and genre type) that I will never bother to rework. In finding my voice, I decided those weren't my voice!