A lesson that I’ve been learning about writing recently is that it, like many things in life, is all about timeliness. I’ve come across pieces that I’ve barely glanced at, but revisited later and felt like I’ve been punched in the gut. Sometimes a reader needs to be in the right mindset to get the biggest impact from your work.
Anytime you put out a new piece of writing, there is an unspoken agreement between writer and reader. They agree to listen to what you have to say, and you agree not to hold anything back. In this way, writing is a lot like entering a boxing ring. Once the gloves go on, you as a writer don’t pull any punches.
It’s up to the reader whether or not they’re prepared for what you’re bringing to the fight. And sometimes they’ll come out not even phased, but other times you’ll absolutely floor them.