To tell or not to tell? How widely should I spread the word that I am writing a book? It is often cliche and code for “not doing much of anything.” Well, given this blog is about writing a book, that ship has already sailed. But telling the world I am writing a memoir to be accountable is not to be confused with disclosing everything that will go into that memoir.

I once read that the brain doesn’t distinguish between the stories you write on paper and the stories you share out loud. Once you’ve shared, the logic goes, the brain thinks you’ve done it. What I read about this phenomenon doesn’t fully explain how this happens. But it has slivers of sense in it.

Research suggests that discussing the story you are planning to write can actually make you less likely to succeed and finish it. It’s almost like your brain gets tricked into thinking that you’ve already put in the effort and achieved the goal. So, instead of inspiring you to move forward, the act of discussing your work widely before it is completed can actually dampen your motivation.

There is this fairly reasonable fear in artists of fragmenting their vision or misspending their creative energy and momentum. If they allow their drafty drawings or words and stories to be disseminated too far and wide before they are finished, creativity could come to a halt. Writer’s block, for example. That has a host of causes but letting cats out of the bag can be part of it. Releasing sections of our writing into the world prematurely makes it harder to stay focused and committed to the book project’s path. It is like dispersing energy to the wind. Usually unrecoverable. Like time.

There is another good reason for keeping your artistic cards close to your chest. For many authors, even those who have carefully outlined and story-boarded their manuscript, it can happen that their writing doesn’t quite behave and stay on track with the writer’s vision. Plots have been known to deviate onto their own inherent logical path. It would be a pity not to pursue an interesting plot line if it was just sitting there beckoning to you with a broad smile and open arms.

I also hear characters take on a life of their own. You have to follow where your characters lead, not vice versa. Many authors have told me this. Keeping that which is precious and emerging from your creative depths both safe and protected is a generally accepted artistic “best practice.” You wouldn’t think of leaving your infant outside at the mercy of the elements or pushing him or her to tackle something before they are ready.

So to err on the side of caution, I won’t share any chunks of the emerging memoir. Not anymore anyway. From now on, my mantra is “Write don’t tell.” Or is that “Show don’t tell?” I get so mixed up about what I am supposed to do in my writing. I have been listening to way too many online book coaches.