What do you do when you look at your work and you have to admit to yourself it's pretty dreadful, even though you've slaved over it for years?
I read something recently dashed off by a 15 year old girl that was so brilliant I felt like a total looser?
When dark despair creeps in have you any advice to banish the demons?
Hello, Sarah.
I applaud, and would like to add to Lorraine's excellent comment.
Writing is hard. Self-doubt is harder. Are other writers better than me or do they just write in a different way than I do? The key word here is different not better. They write in their voice and style, and I write in mine. Which is why I promised to never compare myself to other writers. That way lies a madness that grips you by the throat and leaves you paralysed.
There are already too many barriers trying to stop us from telling our story. So I ask: Why would you add any more? Of course I’ll admire a writer’s phrasing, use of imagery, etc. But that’s as far as it goes. Why do so many of us let the work of others deflate rather than inspire us? To be clear I don’t mean one-upmanship, but to improve who we are as writers.
Writing should not be a competition. Unless you're submitting to one. And even then, technical issues aside, it's about someone 'liking' your work more than another writer’s. Or vice versa. There wouldn't be heated debates over winning entries otherwise.
Ultimately, the only person you really need to impress with your writing is YOU. Be yourself and true to yourself in your work. Your words, your message…your risk to succeed or fail. It's your name (real or pen) that sits on the cover. When you offer your work to the world, you present the best that you can do AT THAT TIME. There will always be room for improvement, and that will come as you grow as a writer. To quote the late, great Dr Maya Angelou, "When you know better, you do better.".
My respects to everyone that keeps plugging away.
Sarah, never compare! You write what you write, in your voice, with your thoughts. You could pick up any number of books and think, wow, I can never be that good. The answer is, no you won't, unless you work at it. Nobody starts that good and stays that way.
Being a writer means slogging your guts out - it's not something that just happens. You write, then you re-write, and you polish and you learn the difference between version 1 and version 3, 6, 9, 12...
If you've gone stale with a project, start another one. Write something different. Expand your horizons. Often you need a break, after a long time on a piece, so that you can see it for what it is - flaws and all. They will be rectifiable, if you see them - not if you don't. Loser, not looser - there, you see? You've learnt something form a mistake.
We're a strange lot: we're confident and we're terrified - confident enough to write what's inside us: terrified someone will come along and shoot us down for trying.
Never despair. If you want help ask for it on here - you'll get it, given generously and for free.
Paul, I was 33 in 1989! No point groaning about it - think of all the extra years of experience!
Hello fellow doubter... I left my novel on the shelf in 1989, I know I bet most of the people who are writing on here weren't born then, just give me a second to groan over that thought...
OK recovered from that realization. I thought it was done but when I came back to writing three years ago I became aware that many and I mean many hours of re-writing and editing, throwing away and adding was needed, badly needed! I imagine you have like the rest of us read it aloud to yourself and maybe to others, that is just one step, make it live you can do it, be there when you write, unless you are writing about Jack the Ripper!!! I don't know if you have written a novel or you are into short stories, here I would like to ask about the fifteen year old, was it a novel or a short story? don't forget it is easier to write a short story and make it good. You have the foundation, use it let your mind into the story be in there don't worry about anything but getting it down then make it real, bit odd that as most of what we write is fiction but you know what I mean. I have taken three years working on a novel written in 1989 and now I know it works. I was told by an editor those three years ago that and here I quote... "It starts well then after the first page it plods" I almost gave up but didn't, I worked on it, she read it a few weeks ago and said just needs punctuation and sentence structure, even complimented me on some very nice writing. I only say this not to blow my own trumpet but to say you have done a lot of the hard work it just means there is some more. I found the help, and interest from other writers on this site invaluable, and sometimes what had been said I thought I was doing until I looked again and found I hadn't. This is a good place to learn, even little things make a difference. oops sorry gone on a bit but my guess is it isn't rubbish it just needs sorting out. I will shut up now and look forward to reading some of your work soon I hope.
Regards Paul G