‘Don’t bother finishing that story, it’s rubbish.’
‘Really? Do you think that’s good writing?’
‘That’s probably the worst story you’ve tried to write yet.’
‘You are wasting your time. There are so many other things you should be doing.’
These are just some of the many less than helpful thoughts which are buzzing
around my head lately. I’m pretty sure everyone has them, but what do you do to silence them?
How do you sit down and write when you stop believing in the story you are writing? Not the content of the story, just your writing of it.
It’s not that I have writers bloc because I don’t, it’s just that I have no belief in my writing and that makes me feel it’s a waste of time.
So I’m asking you writers out there… how do you get over this? Will it pass? Do I just battle through it?
photo credit: JoanDragonfly Auditory Learner via photopin (license)
photo credit: Josu Sein Micropoema: El amor en el autodesprecio via photopin (license)
My thoughts on a page. 
I know the feeling well x
Yes it would seem to be fairly common.
It passes. I either leave it and work on something else, or just tell myself I will edit out one thing that’s bugging me about the writing and then look at it again later.
Thanks Mick. The funny thing is I’ve no problem writing it’s just that when I’m nearly finished a piece that voice tells me I’m wasting my time, that I’m a big fraud and all too often I leave it.
I tend to hear that voice just after I think I’ve finished.
I have decided that for me when this happens I stop and go away and maybe do something else. For me its often the way I am telling the story that is the issue, I need time to rethink what I’m trying to do and as I don’t have a timeline or deadline, time I have plenty of. Somedays if the story isn’t working I let it go. I think its important as a writer to feel comfortable with what you are writing. If the voices in your head are so negative can you determine why that is so? Are you treading on toes in your story and the allowing the doubters to raise their ugly heads. What is the point of telling the story? I imagine in your case Tric there would be very sound reasons for writing what you might be writing. Are the voices reflecting your pain or a perceived pain in someone else? Not every story is easy to tell I know that, some hurt like crazy, some you seriously question why you have to go to dark places in the first place but when they are part of you there are days when you need to get them out and see what happens from there.
So that’s what I think….I wrote a piece today in response to D’verse publishing their anthology….one of my issues with me being in it is my own sense of inadequacy surrounded by such wonderful writers and poets.
take a break, walk around, ask us, eat chocolate, have a beer, take a bath, have a good laugh, let go and write again when you feel it, you will know, and you will know that you are a great writer, as great as any other.
I like that Beth, especially ‘as great as any other’ It’s that feeling of being less that’s killing me. And it only comes from me not feedback or anything.
So I’ll go with the chocolates and the walk and see how I do.
The celebrated and classic authors have pretty much all said they didn’t feel good enough or felt like frauds as writers
I’m not at all sure if this helps, but I’ve always found John Steinbeck’s thoughts on story writing oddly comforting— http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/05/it-has-never-got-easier.html
Thank you that was so helpful. I’ll bookmark it and return to it many times I expect.
If I’m writing something that I am not happy with, I look at it as ‘practice’. No matter what our passion is, we need to work it, use it, stumble through bad days if it, but stick with it. And those struggling days are usually are best learning days. That’s what I tell myself. 🤓
I think it was Ursula K. LeGuin who said to think of those bits of writing as equivalent to finger exercises for a pianist. Even if what you write today is not something that ends up published, the work still helps you get better.
I’m paraphrasing. She said it much more eloquently.
You said it wonderfully. Thank you. It’s how I feel. I remember a supervisor of mine, years and years ago, telling a student that Michael Jordan was one of the best basketball players ever, and he still practiced every day, to be better. I kind of use that as a reminder that even the bad days can benefit the overall game.
Thank you!
It passes. Let your writing find you instead of chasing it.
What you’re feeling, Tric, is something I would say most writers feel. I agree with Elaine’s comment, and I think if writing is something you truly love then shoo away that little voice and just write, no matter what. There will be good and bad outcomes, and that’s where editing comes into play. But don’t let the voice stop you…:)
Those thoughts occur because you’re concerned about what other people will think…..and what others think shouldn’t matter because they are called ‘your thoughts’ for a reason. There is no right or wrong in what comes from you….just be and say what comes in the moment.
I hope the suggestions above worked till now but in case not then just shut all ur work and shut ur mind and sleep for like hours ,then after waking up go to ur fvrt. Rstraurnt and eat a lot rewatch ur fav movies reread ur previous awesome works that will definitely cheer u up. Best of luck
Thank you. Time will tell, but at the moment I’m buzzing and getting there, albeit slowly.