Insecurities - Writers Forum

BrummysBride · 07-06-2005, 06:30 PM

Do any of you ever have this problem?

I have friends who are published journalists and novelists. I read their work and think, "I can write as well as they do! Why haven't I submitted anything other than that one little article that got published locally??"

And so I start thinking that maybe I should submit something for publication.

Here's what happens next: I'm very protective of my work. On one hand, I hate putting it in the line of fire but, on the other, I understand that I'll never really know whether or not my work is good enough if I don't ever take that risk (over and over again) until somebody says, "Yes. I want this article/essay/story."

I proof my work. I notice mistakes. Some are glaringly obvious, others not so much. And then I start doing "it." "It" is best described as self flogging. My adjectives aren't interesting enough, my thoughts aren't unique enough; you name it, I criticize it. Well, except my spelling and grammar -- I've got those two concepts down pat.

Have any of you ever struggled with this? How did you overcome it?

I want to be paid for my work. There are scores of publications out there and I am tired of this ginormous stumbling block I've insisted on carrying around!

Verago · 07-06-2005, 07:17 PM

Kane has a pretty appropriate quote in his signature about this.

"Sometimes you have to go on when you don't feel like it. Sometimes you're doing good work when it feels like all you're managing is to shovel sh*t from a sitting position."
--Stephen King

Good luck!
Ethan.

journyman161 · 07-06-2005, 07:34 PM

I have the same problem with my prose. I write it then when I read back it seems trite & dull compared to what was going on in my head as I wrote it.

So I took the risk (to self-image) & posted some of it. While it didn't get much of a reception here, on a previous writing forum I picked up some very handy pointers as well as more confidence that people liked how I wrote.

The poetry forum here is very good for comments; I've found the prose side not as useful, so if you're writing prose, there may be better sites.

lisajane · 07-06-2005, 08:36 PM

I don't self flog. Mostly because I'm very happy with how a piece turned out the first time around, and if I'm not satisfied with it, I abandon and start something new.

Destany · 07-06-2005, 08:51 PM

At the risk of coming off as completely insensative, well, sometimes you just have to suck it up. Go for it. What have you got to lose, honestly?

About two years ago, I was very proud of some paintings I had done, they were my best ever, and I took them up to a gallery... The b*tch completely ripped me to shreds! She attacked my style, my skill, my medium, as well as the content...
She did however, choose to display one of my paintings, and also some painted eggs that she wasn't sure she would display. I got some interest in the eggs, and the painting, and called her on three occassions to see if she had displayed them.
She seemed to take pleasure in telling me that no one was interested in my work, even before I had asked her. I finally went up one day, mad as hell, and took it all back.
And didn't paint, for about six months. She completely ruined my confidence and I couldn't bring myself to touch a brush.

My sister told me one day, "you're being a baby about this, really."
She then told me that:
If you try, you may fail or you may not. If you don't try, you fail automatically, and that is the most personal failure, when you basically choose to.

Anyway, I hope I didn't offend you.

BrummysBride · 07-06-2005, 09:03 PM

Oh, no offense taken whatsoever!

I know what I have to do... just suck it up and know that writing, just like anything else, takes practice and sometimes, even with lots of practice, you just have sucky days.

I LOVE that Steven King quote! If he has days where everything he writes is dung, there's hope for me yet!

Verago · 07-06-2005, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrummysBride

I LOVE that Steven King quote! If he has days where everything he writes is dung, there's hope for me yet!

Yup.
Thanks to Kane for that quote; very inspiring.

RebelGoddess · 07-06-2005, 11:34 PM

I have the same problem.

I over analyze everything I write. Sometimes you need to seperate youself form the work.

Before I even considered sending my novel to someone in the literary world I had my mother read it. She was an editor for a magazine so I knew that she'd be honest, but in a kind way.

What I would do is write my rough draft of a chapter without hesitation and then take my red pen to it.

After that I would re-type up the re-write and give it to her to assess while I worked on the next chapter. If you spend too long focusing on one part then it all will turn "bad" in your eyes because you're too close to it.

My suggestion (If you dind't pick it up from my muddle example/reply)?

Just put it down the way it is, give it to someone, and do something else while they look over it.

Racheal

Oracle · 07-07-2005, 08:58 PM

I'm somewhat the opposite. I view my work as eternally incomplete, which means that it can always be revised and edited further. I enjoy putting my work in the line of fire, because it means I'll be getting some critique that I can use to improve it. It's better to have it critically dissected and improved than to just send it off to a publisher and have it rejected.