Validation in Writing

So, yesterday I posted my first blog piece in two years. I published the piece and announced my return to Twitterland.

Let the pigeons free! Let the accolades shower down. My minions, my peeps: I HAVE RETURNED! Validate me, people!

Only crickets came (and maybe my hubby). Dejected. Rejected. Invalidated.

So now I'm wondering "what does validation look like?" I started with the definition according to dictionary.com (cuz that site's free!). I discovered that a synonym for "validation" is authenticate.

Authenticate

What does that mean? "To establish as genuine."

That's what I needed to know.

What will make me genuine? What do I need in order to feel established as genuine?

Not all the moleskins and fountain pens in the world will make me feel genuine. Feelings come from within and that's where I must find this genuine feeling.

Do I need awards, contracts, peer approval? Do I need someone to read something I've written and say something positive?

No. No one can make me feel genuine or authentic. Only I can do that. So I need to establish what that looks like.

Authentic means that I'm working towards a specific goal: finishing my current project and getting it up on Amazon.

Genuine means that I'm doing this every business day with the weekends for family and friends.

Only when I stay true to my definitions of authentic and genuine will I ever discover myself at validation.

Thank you for listening.