For anyone curious to know a little more about the process of writing a novel and what it has been like for me personally, one of my favorite authors, Kate Elliott, writes here on the subject of how writers talk about writing. I've shared a little bit through e-mail and on this blog about the doubts that creep in about my writing abilities and the worries over the quality of what I've created. Elliott's post resonated for me as I have certainly experienced what she writes about, particularly this bit:
"What was I thinking? Why do I even bother to write? Nothing I write is any good and I am a failure and a hack.
[This means] I have plunged into the soul-sucking abyss of self doubt. This happens occasionally (okay, okay, too often, but there you are). However, these episodes of self doubt, which spur me to stare at my text with despair and loathing, probably also are one of the reasons that and ways in which I improve as a writer (assuming I do improve, and I do think I have improved)."
Yup, that sounds about right.
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1 comment:
Too true. And this is not just the case with writers. Anyone who aspires for greatness within their field is met, or should be met, with their own flagrant distaste for their work. It helps us strive for better and to learn. The key is to keep moving on and to do new things.
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