For those of you who write and publish personal essay, do you ever get nervous before a piece comes out? I worked really hard on this essay and then worked really hard with an editor after it was accepted. I feel like it's one of the most honest memoirs I've done and I'm not sure how I feel about it knowing a lot of people are going to read it. Don't get me wrong. I'm absolutely thrilled to be publishing with this journal. I wrote my essay planning to send it to them in the first place. I don't know. Sometimes it's just weird the bits and pieces of your life that get published. Maybe the story they collectively tell. Does anyone know what I mean? Trying to make a living off telling your biggest secrets isn't always going to put you in a favorable light. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm a little anxious about my forthcoming essay and the way I think it makes me look. Is no-holds back ever really a mistake? Of course, I chose to write this and I'm lucky to be publishing it. I would love to hear from some of you who get any sort of pre-publication jitters with your personal essay and memoir. I'm not alone in feeling this way, right? This isn't my first publication, and I do seem to get this feeling a lot. Can you guys relate?