You Have a Voice That Deserves to Be Heard
By: Shanna Loga
Tags: Writing Tips, Race, Writing, Identity, Inspiration

You Have a Voice That Deserves to Be Heard

Put aside your humility and embrace your right to write.

Photo by Kat Stokes on Unsplash

Writing is an act of bravery. As writers, we overcome our doubts and fears in order to share our work publicly. We doubt that our writing is good enough. We fear that others won’t read our words. For some of us, our insecurities are more fundamental. We ask ourselves, “Do I deserve to have a voice?” By and large, journalism and publishing are white, cisgender, straight, and non-disabled. If you’re different from the standard, it’s easy to feel like your voice does not belong.

Even as media today offers a platform for anyone to share their stories, some of us silence ourselves. I am a biracial woman of Indian descent who spent the past two decades not writing. Although I always wanted to be a writer, I never saw myself in the authors I read or the journalists I followed, who were abidingly white. From time to time, I stumbled upon writers that resonated with me like Jhumpa Lahiri or Zadie Smith, but they were the exceptions rather than the rule. I concluded early on in my career that writing was not an available option for me.

Life, thankfully, presents us with opportunities for change. I had my first child last year and her arrival helped shake me out of my sense of defeatedness. If I want her to boldly follow her dreams, I have to model it. I started writing in May.

Despite my sense of optimism, my self-confidence is fragile. This week, I submitted an article that I poured my heart and soul into and received no response from the publication. I felt my commitment waver. I turned to the book On Writing Well to distract myself from my worries and here’s the first sentence I read:

Believe in your own identity and your own opinions. Writing is an act of ego, and you might as well admit. Use its energy to keep yourself going. — William Zinsser

Own your identity

I am a writer because I believe I matter and my words matter. Here are some strategies I’m using to keep me motivated.

Remember the time is now

This is the moment to push for greater inclusion in media. With systemic inequality at the forefront of the national conversation, there is no better time to add your distinct voice to the mix. If you’ve held yourself back because mainstream media does not reflect who you are, you can change the picture by being in it.

Find writers who inspire you

Before deciding to pursue writing, I mostly stuck to reading national publications, the classics, and the most popular New York Times bestsellers. Now, I love exploring different topics and writers. I recently discovered Roxane Gay and Lindy West and their honesty, courage, humor, and skill inspire me to keep at it.

Connect with other writers

The sheer diversity writers on Medium is heartening. I’ve found other voices that are similar to mine. I’ve learned that we share many of the same struggles, both as humans and as writers. It helps me remember that I belong. I’ve also recently joined several Facebook groups for fellow writers. Although I’ve yet to find other writers like me, I’ve found the general sense of camaraderie and support encouraging.

Look into niche publications

Brown Girl Magazine? What? I’ve been happy to find a range of publications on Medium for all sorts of communities and perspectives, including mine. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can always create a publication yourself.

Don’t count yourself out

A couple of weeks ago, a well-known blog published my first article. I was worried about the response because it focuses on my personal experience with race. I wondered if my perspective was too unique to appeal to a broader audience. Who would want to hear the thoughts of a biracial Mauritian Midwestern woman? I had reservations. I decided to submit my work anyway and let the readers determine whether my article was worth reading. The article received dozens of comments and reactions and I realized that my voice mattered to the people who took the time to respond.