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The risk of sharing your writing – from rejection to publishing two books

The Risk of Sharing Your Writing

Maybe it was a risk to never send anything out for consideration.

There’s always that voice at the back of your mind:
What will people think?
Will they like it?
What if they hate it?
What if they reject it?

The truth is—those things can and will happen.

Anything you put into the public domain is open to both criticism and praise. That’s part of the deal. I’ve had plenty of pieces rejected over the years (it comes with the territory), and I’ve also seen that moment of surprise when people realise I write—something that doesn’t quite fit their expectations.

Why Taking Risks as a Writer Matters

Without risk, there is no reward.

Taking that first step—sending your work out, submitting a poem, publishing a story—is like opening a door. You don’t always know what’s behind it, but opportunity is there waiting.

It might not work out every time. But you learn. You experience it. And that counts for something.

So the real question is:
Isn’t it worth taking the risk just to see where it leads?

From Rejection to Publishing Books

I wrote the original version of this piece over a year ago.

Since then, things have changed.

I now have two books published, and each one came with its own level of risk.

My first book, A Mouthful of Space Dust, is a collection of slightly strange (and hopefully funny) poetry. If you enjoy poems about psychotic cats, vicars with road rage, and unusual characters, it might be exactly what you’re looking for.

A Mouthful of Space Dust by Gavin Turner

https://www.amazon.co.uk/mouthful-space-dust-Gavin-Turner/dp/B0C5PMHKQ1/ref=rvi_d_sccl_1/522-7718591-1157056?pd_rd_w=xxDAs&content-id=amzn1.sym.d56e60fb-87bc-405a-a95d-c5e322a9b3d9&pf_rd_p=d56e60fb-87bc-405a-a95d-c5e322a9b3d9&pf_rd_r=38EFRGE9TA4XDCCJAW2H&pd_rd_wg=9P1hk&pd_rd_r=ced3e387-2cda-4843-9b54-62d8dc21c5e5&pd_rd_i=B0C5PMHKQ1&psc=1

My second book is an even bigger leap—my first novella, Chopsticks.

It asks a strange question:
What if you were a brilliant but crooked musician… cursed to only ever play one tune?

Chopsticks by Gavin Turner

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chopsticks-Gavin-Turner-ebook/dp/B0G5QVGK7C/ref=sr_1_5?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pb9qgeIQ2tRwF4bDzFqCL-Zm_m8vKA1cWX1b6YM2YcVhz2Nx1FOzyNfcSAnHz-kTnTqzcjchNjpGxnZgMK_GDAgmS1UGIly09N_TzAwQnjiQsE1J1oD_dJF0iT60qcJsf17iOfGKCCp6oaHyIHQbFfth4aPcO1H95DlWUgC-TDJH5nzgqeYWIY0qNx1kfqRk.N-vW7YCKZ4zPpBqnCF7mI6sAa1mmvk2qePhzLJiouZY&dib_tag=se&qid=1767797509&refinements=p_27%3AGavin+Turner&s=digital-text&sr=1-5

Both books are available on Amazon as paperback and ebook.

The Balance Between Risk and Reward

This is what it really comes down to—the balance between risk and reward.

Does it still feel risky sharing my work?
Absolutely.

But what’s the alternative?

Keeping everything to yourself?

Stories are meant to be shared.

A Message for Writers

Maybe there’s a story you’ve been holding back.

Maybe you’ve been waiting for the “right time” or the confidence to send it out.

That moment might never come.

But the opportunity is still there.

Take the risk. Open the door. See where it leads.

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A complete-ish guide to dependency management in Python

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