4 Beautiful Gifts Writers Can Give Other Writers
By writers for writers
As writers, we all know what the journey is like to be a writer, regardless if you are a fiction or non-fiction writer, good or bad, humorous or factual.
We all know what it takes to type up that article and find the courage to publish it online.
Some say that the journey is lonely, some say it’s exhilarating, but most say it’s a long one that requires persistence.
But the wonderful thing about being a writer, you are offering a gift to your readers: your wisdom, your experiences, your tips or hacks in life, and many more.
Even more so, as a writer in Medium, we can appreciate these four gifts from other writers.
- The Gift of Time and Attention
Time is finite. Taking time to give another writer 2–3 minutes of your time to read their article is a precious gift itself. It might not even cost you anything.
When you drop in on a page to read the story conveyed, the attention you spent acknowledges the writer’s work.
I believe that effort and soul go into published articles. Personal experiences are intimate. They can only be shared when a writer finds the courage to put it out there.
Side note: except for the plagiarised ones.
How we choose to spend our 24 hours depends on our priorities. Writers block time to write, do research, crank out ideas, edit, solicit for work, etc.
Only another writer will appreciate what it takes to put up an article.
So, when another writer drops in on your page, it’s priceless. They are taking time just for you.
2. The Gift of Feedbacks/Comment/Editing
Most of us know that we can only write from our perspective.
A gift in the form of feedback or comments affirms or validates what the writers felt. It helps the other writer build confidence or assurance.
Constructive feedbacks help writers to develop better storylines or write better.
I know some of the other writers have helped me with my grammar errors. It was helpful, especially when English is not my native language. It makes me feel as if I have a guardian angel out there. :)
— A gift in the comment that says ‘Thank you’ helps the writer feel appreciated for its effort to impart their wisdom.
— A gift in the comment which says ‘That was useful’ helps the writer feels worthy.
— A gift in the comment which says ‘I have tried this too/I know how it feels…’ helps the writer feels less lonely.
3. The Gift of Writing Wisdom
Only a writer will know what it takes to write. We know what it takes to succeed. We know what works or does not work.
We know how long/short writing takes, the different techniques to write, how to find your writing voice, how to deal with writer’s block, or the number of attempts to have our writing accepted by a publication.
The gift of sharing this knowledge on how to be a better writer is personal and generous. Often it is available for free. It’s up to us writers to decide what works best for each of us.
Unlike COKE or KFC, their recipes are still a secret.
This wisdom is the best gift a writer can give to another writer. 😊
(again except for the plagiarised ones)
4. The Gift of Claps or Likes
The gift of claps or likes…
We all have our take about this.
For me this present is like a ‘Hello and Thank you’ at the same time.
