Exhibitionist? You Bet....

It was brought up to me last night in rather dismaying and disappointing fashion that I seem to be overly excited about publishing works. The context of this statement was made by a student in my writing class I was putting emphasis on this aspect as part of the course and for discussing, in the first place, with new writers. First, this is the stated goal of the course as found in the Course Catalog. Second, isn't this the underlying goal of why we write? Don't we want to share? We bear our souls outward on paper or on a screen for what purpose...? ---To lock our sentiments in a drawer only to be thrown away when we pass from this earth? Then why take a creative writing class? We are writers, we are performers at readings and on podcasts and on trailers; we blog and facebook and have websites for the whole world wide web to see and beg people to read and buy our intellectual property. Am I, a short, overweight, aging, Italian American male an exhibitionist by saying here I am and here is my stuff please read? Does that make me an exhibitionist for my dreams, nightmares and odd mental musings? ----You bet you __________ I am. And if you write, whether you have published or not --- you are too. And this is nothing to be ashamed of.