I recently gave the opening and closing remarks at the reception for a local writing contest. As I wrote out what I planned to say, it struck me that this could be useful for others as well!

I’d like to start by congratulating all the writers out there for having

• the courage to write and finish your pieces,
• the bravery to share it with others, and
• the audacity to enter a contest where your piece will be not only read, but JUDGED, by strangers.

That’s hard, and I respect you for believing in yourself enough to press send.

Writing can be a cruel business. Unless you plan to only write for yourself, which is a perfectly acceptable goal, you need to develop a thick skin and perseverance because rejection is often more common than success. But for those of us who can’t help ourselves, who have words and stories and ideas to share, writing is something we must do.

There are a million reasons not to write.

Better ways to spend our time that don’t involve fighting with the little voice in our heads, the one who insists you aren’t good enough, that no one wants to read what you have to say.

But I’m here to tell you — to give you permission — to tell that voice to shut it.

If you have something to say — and this goes for the friends and family out there, too — if you have a poem or story or novel that keeps pestering you, that you can’t stop thinking about no matter how much that little voice insists you aren’t good enough, just start writing.

And keep writing.

Don’t worry about how good or bad or rough it is. Just get the words out.

Because there are people who want to hear what you have to say. You just have to believe in yourself enough to get it out of your head and onto the page.

But I don’t need to tell all of you this!

We’re here this evening because you believed in yourself and your words.

And I’m grateful for that.

To those who won this evening: I hope this is a moment that you always remember.

And to all the writers: Be proud of your accomplishment.

Of not only drafting and editing and polishing your stories and poems — with probably a little crying and a healthy dose of self-doubt — but having the courage to share it with others.

With us.

Because without you we wouldn’t have a night like this.

Yes, winning feels good. But as I mentioned before, rejection is more the norm in the writing world.

It can be easy to see other writers’ success as a threat, or to be jealous of their achievements. But try not to look at it that way. Instead, be happy for them, for their success means people are still reading. They still want to learn and escape and hear new ideas.

Your ideas.

And as for that spark of jealousy? Use it as motivation to keep trying.

I’ve won contests, but I’ve lost a lot more. And I keep writing. I keep submitting. I keep dreaming.

And I hope you will too.

Thank you for participating and for entering your pieces.

And please, keep writing.