“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” – Abraham Maslow
There’s something exhilarating (and mildly terrifying) about the idea of building a career in public. It feels like standing on a stage with the spotlight on you—not just at the end of the show when the audience claps, but from the moment you’re fumbling with your first line through to when you finally hit your stride. This is especially true when you’re building a writing career through a series of extended writing challenges like me; sharing every triumph, struggle, and unfinished draft with an audience.
Before I started my Write Pact writing challenge, I had been contemplating the idea of “building in public” for almost a year. In the age of social media, blogs, and digital transparency, there’s a growing trend of creators, entrepreneurs, and yes, writers, inviting the world to witness their process in real-time. It’s bold, it’s raw, and it has both undeniable perks and some cautionary pitfalls. Here’s my honest take on building a writing career in public—what I’ve learned, where I see the benefits, and how I plan to manage the risks of such a public pivot.
First, let’s start by understanding the concept of “Building In Public”.
What Is Building in Public?
“Building In Public” or “Build In Public” (also called BIP) is a concept I learnt from my consumption of business concepts about the successes and failures of tech startups. I saw many tech startup founders implementing BIP as a strategic part of their (audience/customer) acquisition funnel by transparently sharing the behind-the-scenes of how they were building their startups. These founders generally shared their successes, struggles, lessons learnt and metrics. This helped them gain the interests of potential customers and investors at the building phase of their startups; before they were even done building out the product.
Admittedly, this is not for everyone as many members of the tech startup community, even in Nigeria, are not convinced of this concept. But I am. Although I am not planning on starting up a tech company, I saw the benefit of building projects (like executing a career pivot) in public and decided to explore this concept in my personal life. So, here are the thoughts I explored before I decided to execute The Write Pact as a public writing challenge.
My Positive Views On Why Building in Public Works
- Accountability on Steroids:
One of the biggest challenges for any writer is staying consistent. But when you’ve got an audience, no matter how small, watching and waiting for your next piece of work, you suddenly have a powerful accountability tool. I’ve realised that when I publicly commit to a writing challenge, there’s no backing out. People are expecting updates, and that keeps me on track.
Transparency breeds accountability, and there’s something motivating about knowing that people are rooting for you (or, in some cases, checking in to see if you’ll fall off the wagon). I saw it as a great way to maintain consistency in my work, even on days when inspiration feels more like a distant memory than a driving force.
- Real-Time Feedback:
One of the most immediate benefits of building a writing career in public is the feedback loop. When you share your progress, thoughts, and drafts with others, you can get feedback in real-time. This could be anything from comments on a blog post, retweets of a snippet, or even constructive criticism from fellow writers and readers.
Feedback is invaluable, especially when you’re trying to improve your craft. If something isn’t working in your writing, you’ll know quickly. On the flip side, when you hit on something that resonates, you get that immediate validation that encourages you to keep going. I recognised that this back-and-forth with my audience could help me grow faster than if I were writing in isolation.
- Building a Community:
Writing can be lonely, but building in public changes that dynamic. You’re not just writing for yourself; you’re writing for an audience that, over time, becomes a community. These are the people who will cheer you on, offer support, and become invested in your journey.
In many ways, I saw building a career in public as a way of creating a tribe of like-minded individuals who share my vision. The process of building in public would allow them to see my potential and want to be part of my story. For writers, this community can be especially powerful because it keeps you engaged, motivated, and connected to your readers.
- Authenticity Breeds Opportunity:
There’s a lot of buzz around the word “authenticity” these days, and for good reason. In a world full of carefully curated personas, especially on social media, people crave realness. When you’re open about your journey—the highs, the lows, and everything in between—you create a level of trust and relatability that’s hard to manufacture.
I recognised this transparency as a path to unexpected opportunities. Brands, clients, and collaborators will be more likely to approach me when they see my authentic self. They will appreciate the vulnerability that comes with sharing my process, and that trust can turn into career-boosting projects which is one of the results I desire from the Write Pact challenge. For a writer, building in public can open doors to collaborations, book deals, or even speaking engagements that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.
My Thoughts On The Risks of Building in Public
- The Pressure of Perfection:
The downside of sharing your journey publicly is the pressure to always appear “on.” It’s one thing to hit writer’s block in private; it’s another thing to do it when you’ve publicly committed to daily updates. There’s a nagging fear of being judged or letting people down, especially if you miss deadlines or fail to meet your goals.
The truth is, that building in public can sometimes amplify feelings of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. You start to wonder if people will lose interest or think less of you if you’re not constantly producing great content. This pressure can become overwhelming if not managed carefully. So, I’m reminding myself daily to just focus on the writing and publishing of content. I’m not thinking about the daily deadlines or anything else.
- Burnout is Real:
When you’re constantly in the spotlight, the grind can take its toll. Writing every day, or meeting the expectations of an audience, can lead to burnout. And the tricky part is that burnout is hard to recover from when you’ve publicly committed to a challenge. You feel like you have to keep pushing through, even when you’re running on empty.
For me, It’s important to remind myself that building in public doesn’t mean I have to sacrifice my mental health. Taking breaks and setting boundaries is key, but it can be difficult to manage when people are watching your every move. But I’m not going to let the fact that people are watching stop me from doing what is best for me.
- Public Failures Sting More:
Let’s be real—no one likes to fail, and failing in public is especially tough. Whether it’s missing a deadline, producing a piece of writing that flops, or not meeting your challenge goal, public failure comes with an added layer of embarrassment.
However, I’ve come to realize that failure is a part of any creative process, and building in public means owning those moments, too. Yes, it stings more when people witness your setbacks, but it’s also an opportunity to show resilience and the reality of the writing journey. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, and that’s okay. People, especially budding writers need to know this.
- The Risks of Oversharing:
Another concern with building in public is the temptation to overshare. Writing is personal, and when you’re constantly sharing your process, it’s easy to blur the lines between professional updates and personal boundaries. While transparency is key, it’s important to strike a balance between what you share and what you keep private.
Oversharing can lead to vulnerability hangovers—where you regret revealing too much or feel exposed in ways that weren’t anticipated. I’m quite a private person so I set clear boundaries from the start and decided what parts of my journey I’m comfortable sharing and what should remain behind the scenes. As much as I want to be successful on this journey, there are parts of my life that I don’t think will benefit from public scrutiny, e.g., my family.
My Balanced Opinion On Managing the Risks And Rewards
So, is building in public worth it? In my experience, yes, but only if you’re intentional about it. Here’s how I’m managing the risks while embracing the benefits:
- Setting Boundaries:
I’ve learned to define what I will and won’t share publicly. While I’m open about my writing progress, struggles, and breakthroughs, I keep some aspects of my personal life and creative process private. This helps me avoid burnout and oversharing while still being transparent.
- Pacing Myself:
I’ve come to terms with the fact that I can’t always be “on.” Some days, the words flow; other days, they don’t. And that’s fine. So, I have given myself permission to pace myself and allow myself room for rest. This way, I can maintain my writing momentum without overwhelming myself.
- Embracing Imperfection:
Building in public means accepting that not everything I create will be gold. There will be drafts that don’t work, and moments when I fall short of my goals. I’ve learned to be okay with that and use it as a teaching moment for myself and my audience. After all, the journey is more interesting when it’s real, not perfect.
In all, building a writing career in public isn’t for everyone, but for those who are willing to embrace the risks, it offers incredible opportunities for growth, community, and visibility. By being transparent, I’m gradually connecting with fellow writers, receiving invaluable feedback, and staying accountable to my goals. The journey has been rewarding so far, even when it’s been challenging.
Ultimately, the decision to build in public comes down to whether you’re willing to be vulnerable and authentic in your process. It’s not always easy, but it’s a path worth considering if you’re serious about advancing your writing career—and laughing at yourself along the way (because there will be fun moments in between).
Do you have any questions about learning to write better? Leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram!
