“I Learned How to Write From My Heart”

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Image by Cheri Lucas Rowlands

“I often say that blogging is like talking to yourself, and then realizing someone heard you,” writes Paul at The Captain’s Speech. In his reflection on four years of blogging, he explains how this outlet has introduced him to a larger community of writers and readers, showed him how powerful our words truly are, and taught him how to write from the heart.

Early on in this blog’s life, I was always so worried about every sentence, and every word, and every comma, and every semi-colon, and every little detail. It ate away at me as I put words on the screen. I would write three sentences and delete two and a half of them.

I felt like it had to be perfect, or someone would criticize me.

After a few months of being a “sports blog,” I reached a turning point.

It was the first September in about 18 years where I wasn’t going to be at school. I was missing it like crazy. My friends, my roommate, my late-night walks to McDonalds. Everything. You name it, I missed it.

I tried to convince myself to write about sports that night and just ignore this huge weight inside of me, but I couldn’t do it. So I talked myself into writing about missing school. It didn’t take long.

And that’s when I stopped caring about every single word, sentence, comma, semi-colon, and detail. That’s when I learned how to write from my heart.

If you want the secret, here it is.

I imagined that everything that was holding me back from being completely honest in my writing, was all stuck in my shoulders. So I shook my arms until I could feel the words exit through my fingertips.

That sounds extra cheesy and really lame, but it’s what I did. And if I’m honest, I still do it whenever I feel like I’m over-thinking the words I’m writing.

I figuratively strip myself of everything that is preventing me from saying exactly what I feel. Because once those restraints are gone, all that remains is my heart.

Read: “Reflections on Four Years of Blogging”

It’s sometimes hard to stay honest and write from the heart. What’s your secret?

210 Comments

  1. Very insightful. It is very clear that you are very passionate about your writing. Very beautiful to read. Thankyou.

    Liked by 7 people

  3. Yeah, this is me, right here. I’ve always wondered; can i actually write
    about football(soccer) without caring about how others write theirs or the words they use?

    Liked by 6 people

  4. I too felt like my blogs had to perfect and pleasing to others, especially when my blog was fresh out of the oven. I mean granted I’m still a total newbie at this, but writing from the heart is key. Once I start from the heart, its like nothing can stop me. Or, more accurately, like I never want to stop. Great post!

    Liked by 9 people

  6. When I was growing up, every lesson my family members taught me was wrapped up in a story to ensure I retained the information- They made it personal. That’s how I learned, so that’s how I write.

    Liked by 4 people

  7. This sounds exactly like me, stressing over every little sentence and word, wanting it to be perfect. Your post encourages me to just write from my heart–because isn’t that what many readers really want? Sincerity and authenticity? Thanks for sharing this!

    Liked by 6 people

  10. Stay….do not quit no matter what…even if i stopped for one reason or another…it is not stopping, it is just a”pause”

    Liked by 8 people

  15. Words from hearts are always effective than what we intent to bring out .Writing from hearts is the best way to produce a blog which is bona fide and has unaffected feelings of your original thoughts.

    Liked by 5 people

  21. Thank you, because I am just starting to pour my heart into the words I would be writing. But first I am going to build some knowledge.
    (had to edit these two lines two time, its fine i’am just starting).

    Liked by 3 people

  28. I feel like this post was almost tailored for me. I just started a blog as a place to put my more valuable thoughts, other than my head. I can relate so much to the first paragraph, because I just typed out the first sentences of my first post.
    The words from my heart finally have a place to go, I guess.

    Liked by 3 people

  29. You are right. At times its really impossible to convenience myself to just put down everything on paper without giving a second thought. Through your blog i realise that its not just me but most of the writers initially face. The only difference being that they have overcome the phase. Thanks for your post. It has motivated me to start my blog all again with new zest.

    Liked by 5 people

  31. Exactly! I was a sports writer for the online news agency “the Examiner” for a few years. Although I enjoyed the events and writing the articles I always had the editor who was going to be doing the review in mind… not to mention AP styles. In the end the company was sold and most of the writers were not retained. That’s when I started blogging and noticed that it was so much more compelling to be able to include my feelings as I participated in my own sporting activities… you are right on!

    Liked by 4 people

  34. Oh my gosh. I love this. Especially the intro quote. Yep, the difference between writing on paper and blogging is someone will actually read your writings more if its out there on the web.

    Liked by 4 people

  37. I use to think that I can never write bacause of grammatical mistakes but then I learnt the art of writing from heart . I totally agree.

    Liked by 8 people

  39. I don’t know if I even have a secret. I just write , and completely blank everything out I write what I feel sometimes what I say may not make sense to others but to me it’s does . Words are a beautiful tool we have .

    Liked by 4 people

  40. Yes its true, thanks to world press i CAN EXPRESS my feelings not to curious of my grammar. when i was a kid i really want to become a writer or a food blogger, travel blogger, a fitness a blogger, but sad to say, i dont presu because im afraid of critizime of being judge by people, about the grammaer of the spelling, but when i read true a lot blogging, i’m inspired to write what i feel, what’s on my mind.:_0

    Liked by 4 people

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