Again and again on the Up-Wordz.com website/blog, you’ll find me urging you to “say it with authenticity.” We often take that word for granted, not even stopping to wonder or even ask, “What do you mean by authenticity“? Good question!
Do you have authenticity in you?
The founding principle of this whole site centers on my desire to help you discover and develop your own writer’s voice. This, BTW, carries well into speaking, also. That is, as I have said in a few places, I’m striving to help you learn to “say it in a way that nobody else could or would.“
That might sound interesting to you. I hope it does. But part of you may doubt that you really have it it you to meet that sky-high standard. Who are you to go around thinking you can say things that nobody else could or would? Well, once you learn the basics of my “activated writing” system, you’ll no longer need to ask that question. You’ll know the answer. I can’t wait to teach it to you.
Theorizing authenticity
As you can read in About Mike, I love to theorize communication, especially as regards language, the heart of my own area of specialization, the communication subfield known as discourse analysis. “Discourse” simply means talk — written and/or spoken. In short, I have often summed up my scholarly focus as, “I study talk.”
I have retired from academia (Spring, ’21), but for a few years now, as many friends and family have heard and read about, I have never ceased my quest to understand, define and “parse out” (dissect) the popular (but not well understood) concept of authenticity. On the surface, the concept seems pretty basic: don’t be fake.
But that basic understanding of “authenticity” doesn’t actually help much. If it means simply, “be yourself,” then we are left to ponder two major complications. First, which, of our many selves, we should “be“?
My “self” as a “loving nephew” may not recognize my self as a “hell-bent pickleball player” battling tough competition. Then again, if my pickleball luck pits me against a newbie to the sport, my self as teacher comes out, and I play entirely differently. When I do so, am I being “fake”? Which one is my authentic self? Different roles in life call out different selves. When we adjust to changing roles, are we being fake?
Secondly, if striving for authenticity simply means “don’t be fake,” does that obligate us to say the things we authentically happen to think? If we think it, must we, in the name of avoiding falseness, say it?
In other words, if some harsh and vulgar criticism crosses your mind (I know you try to avoid that, but sometimes it’s unavoidable!), are you obligated, by your commitment to authenticity, to voice that criticism — else you’d be “fake“? And what about things you keep to yourself not because they might offend, but because you gain some advantage by not saying X, Y, or Z? Does that make you inauthentic and/or fake?
See? The idea of authenticity might seem simple — even obvious — but the above questions show that the concept comes with many complications. For the past few years, I’ve been working on this puzzle, especially since retirement has given me more time to think, scratch out notes, and sometimes make little diagrams. Over the months and years, I have managed to identify a connection between my “activated” writing system and the “you” who writes (and speaks) in your own way. That is, I discovered authenticity in language.
It’s both harder and easier than you think
That’s good news, because, if we seek to develop and express authenticity, we need, first, improved understandings and, then, effective and natural practices. Our improved understanding will take its root in how we write and speak (our use of language), and our effective practices will come more and more naturally, as we gain skill in my fairly simple system. (I say “we” because I am ever working to improve my own understandings and skills in this system, myself — and I invented it!)
Please know that I have spent, while “working on and working out “authenticity” considerable time researching what others have said and written on the subject. My efforts have produced two things: slim and pickin’s. For all my training in research and even my professional history of teaching research methods, I cannot find anything like what I am herein proposing to you. Yes, that might just indicate authenticity — mine!
Mostly what I find when researching “authenticity” (go look for yourself, and you will see likewise) is information about collectibles — how to tell what’s “authentic,” as opposed to counterfeit. Where I do see “authenticity” discussed as a human attribute or manner of sincerity, the term goes largely undefined — just taken for granted as somehow and obviously “not false.” That’s the problem I’m trying to solve.
When I say that I have derived a clear and functional definition “in language,” I’m not saying that authenticity arises in language only — just that my training and expertise happen to focus on language, so, naturally, that’s where I — as your present author — would naturally find authenticity, if anywhere.
So the “easy part” of presenting yourself, in words, with authenticity, awaits your eyes and mind in my “writing lessons” (especially the first three lessons, which dovetail and lead to “activated writing“). The concept will surprise you with its simplicity! Yes, good news there. It’s easy to grasp my system.
On the other hand, the practice of employing this fairly simple concept will take some serious thought and practice. I know this because I’ve taught it, successfully, to hundreds, if not thousands, of students, and I’m very well aware of what it take (the time and practice needed) for people to go from “understanding” my system to showing it, consistently, in their writing. It will take time and practice, but I maintain that the concept, itself, is easy for most people to understand.
As I’ve said elsewere, I use the term “book club” to characterize the benefits — in faster and sturdier learning — you will gain if you study and practice my lessons with one or more “partners in learning.” You can write things (short or long) to each other and trade feedback — “did I do this right?” I swear, you will actually learn (my goal, for you!) much, much faster with such practice and feedback. Find a friend (or club) to learn this with you! It’s free, for God’s sake! You and your book club besties will save on this month’s reading — and learn to write, while you’re at it. I promise that (assuming you put in some effort).
The hard part — culture is “against” you!
The hard part? Language, in use, tends to funnel down into a limited number of “things people (like “us”!) usually say.”
Certainly, if we feel that we lack any particular skill in speaking and writing, we tend to focus less on “authenticity” and more on fitting in — especially, not making mistakes or otherwise showing what we don’t know. We play it safe, almost always, and that just moves us more and more toward the most common “sayables” among the various groups (political or other) we belong to or otherwise identify with. We talk to match the way “our peeps” talk. We say what they say. Consciously or not, we seek acceptance — or maybe even status in the group: we’re not just a “believer,” we’re shooting for zealot!
And that’s if we, ourselves, say anything at all! I have felt bad to see the major trends on social media move from “usually saying the typical stuff, the typical way” (that was bad enough) to not saying anything at all, instead simply “sharing” some video or poster-style message (and that, in my view, is even worse than saying nothing at all — you’re just filling inboxes with crap someone else already said!).
I want to help you to show some leadership among those in your social circle — leading by example. I want to help teach you and inspire you to actually say things from your own perspective, in your own words.
The easy part? Endless options await!
The three main lessons of my system (each builds importantly on the one before it, so you’ll learn best to study these in order!) will steer you away from saying things “the way people ususally would” and toward saying things any other way — and, boy, do you have endless options.
That’s why I’m so confident you will learn and get good at this. You’re not searching for “the right way” to say anything; you’re enjoying choosing, from unlimited options, the way YOU want to say it here and now. Tomorrow, you may or may not say it differently. There’s no one right way, but there are ways that are better than the commonplace and weak norm. The “high-bar” sits low on this one, dear reader-student. The competition is plentiful (the problem) but also flimsy (the good news). You’re about to learn the difference.
Trust me, I have worked up an accessible and practical system of discovering and displaying authenticity — that is how to both develop and show the world a very authentic you, a “you” that, even shining authenticity, stays fluid and mindful of your present and sometimes evolving situation, role, and desired outcomes.
I have taught this system to a great many students, with remarkable and satisfying results. I can teach it to you, too, and I will do so, to the degree that you ponder and practice things you can learn in my “Writing Lessons” section. It’s easier than you think.
Authenticity, here you come
When you incorporate into what you write (and speak) your own lived experience (along with your own research), then, by logical necessity, you can’t be simply regurgitating “what people (with your biases) usually say.” That’s the “flimsy” norm. Nobody else has lived your life. And nobody thinks and talks just like you — not if I have anything to say about it! And I do, as you are about to learn.
So learn my system, and your writing will sing – in your own voice! Just go straight over to my “Writing Lessons” tab, and dig right in. Lesson One (aka “not all in one chunk”) awaits you, as of this posting. And, as the days and weeks fly by, further “sequential lessons” (each building on the ones before it), will appear there. Your beautiful voice awaits just a little instruction and coaching. You’ll see.