It’s okay to like your old writing. It’s okay to not like your old writing. 

Sometimes I read my old writing, and it’s pure cringe. For instance, I once had a character talk aloud to themself so I could explain the worldbuiling. However, that was by my twelve-year-old self, who hadn’t studied anything about the writing craft. I promise you, I understand “show, don’t tell” now. 😂

But in all seriousness, there are times when I’ll read a story I wrote within the past couple years, and wish I could edit it, polish the writing more—stories that got published! And sometimes, I read an old story, published and unpublished, and like it. I admire a sentence, a character voice, a story element.

But whenever I read my old writing, whether I like it or not, I see growth. Like I said, I can show instead of tell. 😉 My writing is neater. My plots have more depth. I’ve grown as a writer. And that’s why I can look at my old writing and enjoy it, whether it makes me laugh or cringe. 

Do you ever read your old writing?