Love Yourself As A Writer
That’s how you will survive.
Many writers have a poor opinion of their abilities. Even though they might write some excellent prose, they don’t see its value. I have torn up many of my past attempts at writing because I thought they were below standard.
That, I now realise, was a big error on my part. Not because I am an exceptional writer but because I failed to appreciate that those early pieces were a necessary part of my creative development.
Unfortunately, we are our own worse critics. We beat ourselves up when ideas don’t work out or when we cannot reach our self-imposed goals and standards. And yet, to others, our work still merits praise and is interesting and absorbing.
So, all writers need to step back sometimes from their projects. Over familiarity with the plot, characters or subject of our writing can often breed writer’s self contempt. We can get too close to our writing and become unable to see its finer points. It takes an outsider to do that for us sometimes.
Do you have someone you can trust to read your writing and to pass an honest, unbiased opinion?
Unfortunately, most writers are afraid to show their work to others. They fear criticism that might damage their delicate shoots of creativity. They see such criticism as a threat to their desire to succeed.
Many writers do not have close friends or associates who are prepared to read their articles or stories. If a writer can receive responsible guidance from someone who has had some success, then that is a valuable experience that can be a significant benefit to an aspiring writer.
If you have a writer’s circle in your local area, then I advise you to join.
And don’t be afraid to read your work to others. In my experience, the people who really want to write, became members of a writing circle at one time, even for a brief period. It is the ideal place to not only read your own efforts but to listen to other members and make friends with a similar interest.
As a writer, you must love yourself, always regard yourself as something special. I don’t mean that egotistically, but any kind of writing is tough. Many people say they would like to write. Very few actually do it. It can take its toll.
So, you need to be kind to yourself to survive.
I remember meeting a middle-aged gentleman at my local writer’s circle who spent his waking hours looking after his disabled wife who suffered from muscular dystrophy. His days were often difficult as he acted as her full-time carer.
And yet he found time to write humorous stories and eventually had an article accepted by an international magazine. When he initially read this story to us, he was apologetic about its faults; weaknesses that none of us could recognise. I’m glad to say they paid him handsomely for his first success as a writer.
So, your work is never as bad as it seems.
It’s important to keep writing even when you think it’s all a waste of your time. You work your way through this specific dark tunnel of despondency and disinterest by perseverance and belief in your abilities as a writer.
You know you can do it.
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