“ARE YOU FOR REAL?”

                                                  Authenticity in Writing

 

 

 

What makes your writing authentic? To answer that question, first, let’s look at the definition of authentic, which means original or genuine, real, true.

 

That’s a great start. Right?

 

It’s OK to admire other artists’ work and even quote it in some cases.

The objective is to be organic and keep your expectations high, essential for the writer and reader.

 

If you value what you write, chances are the reader will as well.

But how do you do this if you write fiction? Well, the simple answer is to keep it as real as possible.

 

You incorporate as many factual details within the story and characters.

 

Everything you write doesn’t have to be made up but verifiable when necessary. You know how much we love to fact-check.

 

Readers love it when stories are interwoven with the truth.

 

One of my favorite books is A Discovery of Witches by author Deborah Harkness. Not only is she a fantastic storyteller but a historian who weaves fiction with historical and scientific facts.

 

In my opinion, those elements make the story fascinating with the perfect amount of truth and fiction—a prime example of authentic writing.

 

Still, no matter how much you admire fellow authors writing, it’s important not to duplicate them and remain true to yourself.

 

The best way to do that is to write about what you know, establishing your place in the writing world. Stick to what you know and use it as an advantage.

 

You can write authentically without sounding like a memoir.

 

Another unrelated example of authentic writing is what we read or watch every day. At least we hope what we see reported by journalists and newscasters holds some truth.

 

Fake News became a thing in 2020, which questioned the integrity of newsworthiness. However, not everyone cares about authenticity, but those who do care continue to create truthfulness.

 

Another feature of authentic writing is how well you do the job.

My mother always said practice makes perfect, and I still believe that.

 

In the end, what we say and do will always be judged, so I’ll leave you with these takeaways: practice relentlessly until you find your niche.

Challenge yourself and be yourself; authentic first impressions will always outweigh superficially.  

 

Authenticity is always the best policy in life and writing.