When I started my writing journey back in 2012, I was a moron.

Writing is a tough job. And writing better is the toughest. If I put aside the hard part, writing is also a lonely job. Unless you are writing a sitcom, you are writing all by yourself; you read a lot, pick a topic, research, and then put your thoughts and choice of words, structures, and style on paper or screen. But it doesn't end there.

After finishing your first draft, which is very often a shitty-one, you work hard to polish that to perfection.

Yes, during those fresh-years, I did all the things right. Then before hitting publish button, I thought to myself — What a lovely story I have written, people will devour it, no doubt.

I thought this story I was going to publish would make me famous. People would sense the arrival of a new writer with a fantastic voice.

I thought — Within the next few hours, it will make all the difference. I will be inundated with praises and comments. Readers will find out what gems are there. The diction, the structure, the presentation, the sublime messages — everything will be noticed by them. They will be overwhelmed, seeing how much effort went underneath to create a story like this.

Back in those days, my expectations were high, and I was very optimistic. I thought, with a sense of accomplishment, I would start my next story.

I think every writer thinks more or less the same way. Of course, when a writer writes a story, he/she feels that it is the best one. And writers do expect praises, comments, and critical responses from their readers. Otherwise, what's the point of publishing?

The reality is unpredictable and harsh

You don't know what will happen after hitting the publish button. But most likely, within a few days after publishing a story, you feel disappointed. Sometimes, heartbroken.

You see that the story you have written sacrificing your goodnight-sleep matters little to your audience. Almost nobody cares about your point of view. Your hard-earned writing style and carefully chosen words went unnoticed. And it is going to be forgotten with the other millions of mediocre works online.

The story that ate up your precious hours and gave you tremendous mental pressure, surprisingly, adds no value to your financial state as well. It's hardly a few cents or, if lucky, then 3–7 dollars. That's it. It's lower than the minimum hourly wage.

All your thoughts, thinking, reading, researching, writing, editing — everything seems futile. You think enough is enough. This tiresome work is adding nothing to my life.

What you can do

Writing takes time, and getting noticed takes more time. More than you think. More than you anticipated while starting a writing career.

Remember, you are doing nothing wrong with your writing. But maybe, you are keeping your expectations too high. Maybe, you consider yourself the best at what you write.

The truth is there are millions of better writers than you. Admit this truth. Get out of your over-confidence and never expect everyone will devour your works when you publish them. Lower your expectations and produce good art consistently.

Instead of overthinking, do the following —

1. Read more and write better. Always focus on how you can improve your next story from the previous one. What things did you tackle badly? How can it be improved? Ask yourself.
2. Your competitor is your previous-story, not other writers who are getting tons of views, comments, and money. Stop comparing yourself to other writers. It will take away your mental peace and put you in unhealthy competition. Consequently, you will lose the excitement and joy of writing.
3. Read other's works and leave them responses. Let them know what you think about their stories and what parts resonated with you. By doing so, you will slowly but surely build a connection with other writers. And they will reciprocate by reading your text and letting you know what they think.
4. Share your works with your friends and family. Share them on social media as well. But share in a way that may not sound how great articles you have written, and it is now their duty to read them. Instead, while sharing, say a few words about how this article can benefit them or enhance their knowledge.
5. Beat quantity with quality works. Don't get discouraged if some of your fellow writers publish daily and you don't. You don't know their case. Maybe, they are writing for years, and you are just beginning or in the middle of your writing journey. Always remember, good writings take a lot of your time to produce great stories. But it's worth every second in the end.
6. Don't overthink about your earnings from writing. It's rewarding to get paid for writing, but most of the writers who earn a decent amount of money from writing have passed their tough penniless years.

Write at least 10,000 hrs to become a mature writer. Those are the hours needed to become successful in anything, mentioned Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers. So, don't break your heart if you don't see an immediate result.

To conclude

Now when I publish any articles online, I do not overthink or keep high expectations about them. If the readers like it, it is okay. If they don't, it is also okay. I don't care. Because I have tried my best, and I will try again tomorrow to beat my previous self. That is all I can do.

I think you can set a mindset like me. It helps me, and I believe it will help you as well.

Thank you for reading.

If you want to read more of my writings, you may read my popular articles on Medium from the following links —

1. Your Tiresome Quest for Amazing Copyright and Royalty-Free Images Is Over
2. How I Unfollowed My Father and Learned Things Differently
3. Apply the Pomodoro Technique to Writing
4. If Aristotle Were a Medium Writer
5. The School of Nature

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