Validation

As writers, we live with doubt.

We wonder if our words will resonate beyond our own small circles. If the stories we tell—the deeply personal, often vulnerable ones—matter outside of our own minds.

This was the response to my essay from the editor of a literary journal that will be publishing my work next month:

“Dear Mansi, Congratulations again on the acceptance of your piece in our literary journal! We receive hundreds of submissions, but your writing spoke to us, and we’re thrilled to include it in our journal.”

And then this, after a final round of proofreading:

“My proofreader reviewed your piece and had only a couple of edits that are noted in the attached version. He was very complimentary about your writing. He really liked your description of how your husband handled the future while you handled the present, how he handled the ‘important things,’ while you handled the emotional labor. ‘Beautiful writing,’ is what he said. Such a lovely piece. You are truly gifted.”

I don’t need more validation than this.

For two decades, I wrote other people’s stories. I built a career on telling them well. And then I gave it all up to be a full-time homemaker, slowly silencing my own voice.

It’s taken years to step back into it. To trust that my words might mean something outside of my own Substack page.

So yes—this validation means more than I can express.

I’ll share more when it’s published. But for now, I wanted to share this with you, because if you’ve ever doubted whether your words matter, let this be a sign: they do!