Full Exposure

I'm a writer! I suppose I've been a writer for a while. I studied writing. I've been writing poetry, fiction, and biographical work for years now. But writing and publishing are two different things. In my opinion, you're not a writer until someone else says you are. 3rd graders write papers. No one publishes that. So, when your work ends up in print somewhere, then you're a writer. Well, this morning I'm a writer.

My local paper decided to print my last blog entry as an editorial piece. And so, this morning, my words are printed for all to see. I always knew I'd get published one day. What I didn't know was how strange it would feel. Especially because they printed something that was written without the intention of being printed in that format. They printed my raw unedited thoughts. My life. My experience. And in a few hours, everyone in my little neck of the woods will get to read it. That's a little bit scary. I've never had an audience this big for anything I've done. When I write my blog, I don't imagine that many people read it. Those that do, in my mind, are my friends. Its a captive audience, so to speak. Its intimate. Its close. Its just me and my pals telling stories. But the newspaper? That's exposure. That's public. I must say, I feel a bit naked.

In a few hours, my raw, uncut thoughts will be hitting everyone's kitchen table, beside their cup of coffee and their scrambled eggs. I hope I've got on clean underwear.