Self Doubt and Suckage

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worriedThis writing thing’s a tough gig. You write a story–polish it until your eyes go crosseyed, and then query it to fabulous agents that you know can champion your book with the best of them. It’s all very exciting and fun-filled. But, then you wait….

…and you wait….

… and just when you thought you couldn’t wait not one minute longer….

… that’s right–you wait some more….

It’s tough, and in that waiting time you start writing something else, because hey if that story isn’t your happily-ever-after, then maybe the next one is. But, there’s some other things that happen while you wait that we the writer crew try not to talk about too much, because we are trying to stay all positive and such.

The self-doubt kicks in. It’s that whole, “Whoa, what if I suck like those people on So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol who think they can sing and dance, but really they just can’t… at all.)

Sure good writing is subjective, and its art and all that fun stuff, but people know bad writing when they hear it.

I attend this weekly crit group, and I love it. I’m always super nervous when I read, and so far every time I’ve finished people have pretty much told me they loved my stuff. Tonight I was paid one of the highest writing compliments I’ve ever received– a long standing member of the crit group told me that my work reminded him of just the right blend of fellow crit group attendees Rosemary Clement-Moore and Candace Havens. When I picked my jaw up off the floor, I thanked him and pretty much felt like I was on cloud 99. (That’s way cooler than boring ‘ol cloud 9, don’t you think?)

The rest of my group said great things about my chapters and pretty much loved it, but this doesn’t stop me from thinking I might suck. Seriously, I start to think about how my read was sandwiched between two amazing writers and worry I was just a filler read in between awesomeness, and that’s when the self doubt kicks in. I start to think things like, “Wait–what if they’re just being nice because my work is so beyond repair that they see no way of helping me.” or “Those guys just didn’t want to see a grown woman cry.”

How do we know that we don’t suck? Do we listen to the opinions of others? Do we believe people when they say the nice things just as much as we believe people when they say the not-s0-nice things?

No one ever wants to be made a fool, right? Is that just another risk we’re taking when we put our heart and guts* out on paper?

I guess I have no other choice but to keep going for it, and I think–for now at least–I’ll believe that the people who tell me my stuff’s pretty good are telling the truth, and not just trying to make me feel good.

*Not my actual heart and guts, that’d just be way nasty. I was talking all metaphor like.

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11 Comments

  1. Don't self-doubt yourself. Here's the deal, you know if you really sucked, the feedback would be HARSH. (I say this because of the one story last night that got hammered to hell by everyone and stuff.)
    You know how the crit group is. If your stuff blows, they'll tell you. And then tell you you're a great person.
    So don't sweat it. You don't need to get validation that your writing is good from anyone except the acquiring editor at a publishing house. That's the only person who can tell you if your writing is any good. And hell, they don't even take all the good writing because, even if your writing is top notch, if there's no market for it, then they won't pick it up. Don't worry about all that, just go write, fool.

  2. I know the suckage feeling. I have it all the time. I think: ‘I know this really wonderful writer that is sooooo far ahead of me and she might just be saying my MS is good when it’s really crap on a stick’. Yeah. I self-doubt continuously. But I don’t think you should…’cause you’re sooooo far ahead of me, I just know you’re going to be published (soon).

    GOOOO STEAMPUNK! (my new slogan)

  3. I am still in the finishing the manuscript stage but feel those doubts all the time. What if my beta readers are just being nice? What if the time I am spending writing this when I should be writing articles to pay the bill is a big waste? What if I totally suck.

    I just joined a local writing group. I am hoping I will get honest feedback since they don’t know me.

    1. @Rissa: I LOVE the writing group thing. It’s absolutely FABULOUS! I hope it works as well for you as it did for me!

  4. We all have self-doubts and we always will. The most successful people in the world doubt their talents and validity of their accomplishments. You’re getting great response to your work. It’s just a matter of time. Push the doubts aside and have faith in your talent. And – the most important thing of all – enjoy the ride.;-)
    .-= Debra Schubert´s last blog ..HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY TO… ME! =-.

    1. @Debra Schubert: I think that’s a REALLY good point… even the best people have self-doubt… that what’s make them strive to be better!

  5. Don’t self-doubt yourself. Here’s the deal, you know if you really sucked, the feedback would be HARSH. (I say this because of the one story last night that got hammered to hell by everyone and stuff.)
    You know how the crit group is. If your stuff blows, they’ll tell you. And then tell you you’re a great person.
    So don’t sweat it. You don’t need to get validation that your writing is good from anyone except the acquiring editor at a publishing house. That’s the only person who can tell you if your writing is any good. And hell, they don’t even take all the good writing because, even if your writing is top notch, if there’s no market for it, then they won’t pick it up. Don’t worry about all that, just go write, fool.

  6. I totally feel you. I’ve been dealing with that as well. BUT you have MS’s out there. So you KNOW you don’t suck (And I know it too cuz I love your book!)

    So have confidence 😀
    .-= Marybeth´s last blog ..Flash Backs =-.

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