Self-doubts and writing

[driphoney]

Do you ever find yourself stymied from self-doubts when writing? Do you find yourself questioning your ability? Do you find youself mid-chapter/scene questioning your dialog, or story premise? or any of it, really, and you know it has nothing to do with the story idea or dialog, but the little devils in your head?

How do you get past it? How do you bring creativity back?

If this is an often repeated theme and I've just missed it, pardon me, don't mean to bore.

 

[_Lynn_]

Do you ever find yourself stymied from self-doubts when writing? Do you find yourself questioning your ability? Do you find youself mid-chapter/scene questioning your dialog, or story premise? or any of it, really, and you know it has nothing to do with the story idea or dialog, but the little devils in your head?

How do you get past it? How do you bring creativity back?

If this is an often repeated theme and I've just missed it, pardon me, don't mean to bore.

Self-doubts? Yes
Question my ability? Yes
Mid-chapter and question the dialogue? No
Question the story premise? Sure

How do I get past it? I go to someone I trust and respect and talk it over. They listen, counter all my issues with common sense, and boost me up. Then I go back and write, even if it's crap, until I find the groove again.

I write tons of stuff that ends up in the trash.
That's all right though, because I learn something from each one.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Having the ego of a small planet, no. However, I do know that just because I think I'm good, it doesn't follow that I am. Therefore I regularly annoy some of the writers here whose judgement I respect and ask their opinion of the particular bit of doggerel. Most of the time I do exactly what they say.

 

[tickledkitty]

Self-doubts? Yes
Question my ability? Yes
Mid-chapter and question the dialogue? No
Question the story premise? Sure

How do I get past it? I go to someone I trust and respect and talk it over. They listen, counter all my issues with common sense, and boost me up. Then I go back and write, even if it's crap, until I find the groove again.

I write tons of stuff that ends up in the trash.
That's all right though, because I learn something from each one.

Yep, same here. I rarely question dialogue, because I'm pretty good at it. I actually hear the dialogue in my head, and that's how the story unfolds for me. Everything else though... I force myself to keep on writing, even when I'm having doubts. Then I find people to read it and tell me if it sucks or not. Usually, they say not.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Then I find people to read it and tell me if it sucks or not. Usually, they say not.

Isn't that a warm, fuzzy feeling? I love it.

 

[driphoney]

I'm a self-doubter by nature. I think I have to get to the point where it truly resonates deep inside that I have to just write for myself, that this story is for me and nobody else. If, later on, it seems to be something others might enjoy, that's okay, but it's not necessary.

But right now, I can't seem to convince myself of that, so I have two small starts on two chapters of the same story (started it, gave it to someone to read and had recommended that I back it up, start earlier.) Well, I'm pretty good at dialog, but my chapter, once I got going, just seems so BORING, I keep telling myself, "Who the hell would want to read this? How trite!" It's been sitting here on my computer untouched for months. I tried to 'force the hand' and I did get some more squeezed out, but it was torture.

This is what has brought on my question. Well, that and the fact that I was encouraged to start a 'writerly' thread!

 

[tickledkitty]

Isn't that a warm, fuzzy feeling? I love it.

Hmm...No, I think it's more like relief for me. Sort of a cool rush.

 

[Safe_Bet]

...I learn something from each one.

...Then I find people to read it and tell me if it sucks or not. Usually, they say not.

Isn't that a warm, fuzzy feeling? I love it.

Jeeez, you three are making my freaking blood sugar climb...

So, driphoney, for the REST of us.... I question myself every freaking step of the process. Thinking about writing a story scares the hell out of me; writing the story scares the hell out of me; having somebody edit the crap I wrote scare the hell out of me and THEN, have people actually READ the crap I wrote scares the hell out of me.

Now, if you have ANY sense you are asking yourself, "Why in the HELL would I want to do that to myself?" The answer is that if you ARE a writer you don't have any choice. It's write it and get it over with or don't write it and have the damn thing hanging over your head until you finally give up and write it anyway. If you are truly a writer, your muse will kick you ass.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Hmm...No, I think it's more like relief for me. Sort of a cool rush.

Whichever, postitive strokes are always good.

 

[_Lynn_]

Jeeez, you three are making my freaking blood sugar climb...

So, driphoney, for the REST of us.... I question myself every freaking step of the process. Thinking about writing a story scares the hell out of me; writing the story scares the hell out of me; having somebody edit the crap I wrote scare the hell out of me and THEN, have people actually READ the crap I wrote scares the hell out of me.

Now, if you have ANY sense you are asking yourself, "Why in the HELL would I want to do that to myself?" The answer is that if you ARE a writer you don't have any choice. It's write it and get it over with or don't write it and have the damn thing hanging over your head until you finally give up and write it anyway. If you are truly a writer, your muse will kick you ass.

I saw that part.

 

[tickledkitty]

Whichever, postitive strokes are always good.

The best strokes are the e-mails I get from my many adoring fans.



(Shut up, Betsy. )

 

[voluptuary_manque]

The difference between an artist and someone who knows how to create artifacts is that the educated layperson can make art but an artist must.

And here's an insulin cocktail, Safie.

 

[Safe_Bet]

I saw that part.

*Snerk* So you want self-doubt? Try getting "edited" by the chick with a riding crop in her hand...

I mean, sorry, mistress...

 

[bb_peaks]

In my writing, I don't question my abilities. But I don't HAVE to write. I too use it more as a release for stress or whatnot. I'm finding myself in a horrible rut now though. I have at least 10 stories that are partially finished and I just can't get my mojo back to finish them. I have found my best stories are ones that I think of and then sit down and get it done in one sitting.

If I find it's not going the way I'd like, I stop on it and work on another one or just go do something different.

 

[_Lynn_]

I'm a self-doubter by nature. I think I have to get to the point where it truly resonates deep inside that I have to just write for myself, that this story is for me and nobody else. If, later on, it seems to be something others might enjoy, that's okay, but it's not necessary.

But right now, I can't seem to convince myself of that, so I have two small starts on two chapters of the same story (started it, gave it to someone to read and had recommended that I back it up, start earlier.) Well, I'm pretty good at dialog, but my chapter, once I got going, just seems so BORING, I keep telling myself, "Who the hell would want to read this? How trite!" It's been sitting here on my computer untouched for months. I tried to 'force the hand' and I did get some more squeezed out, but it was torture.

This is what has brought on my question. Well, that and the fact that I was encouraged to start a 'writerly' thread!

Then leave it and start something else. If you think it's boring, then there's a good chance others will too.
Maybe that piece wasn't meant to be written.
Not all ideas have to become a story. Merge several of them together to become a new plot.
Make new characters.

 

[_Lynn_]

*Snerk* So you want self-doubt? Try getting "edited" by the chick with a riding crop in her hand...

I mean, sorry, mistress...

Scared you so bad you never came back either.

(Chicken)

 

[driphoney]

The difference between an artist and someone who knows how to create artifacts is that the educated layperson can make art but an artist must.

And here's an insulin cocktail, Safie.

Hmm .... don't know if I'm encouraged or discouraged. I mean, I can't just let this story go and move on with my life. I open it, stare at it, ponder it. It's never forgotten. I really want to explore this main character, give her a life, work it out. I even have [gasp!] a plot fleshed out, which is a major growth for me, as I was clueless on my first story.

Yet the negative voices in my head won't go away.

With my first story, once I got started, it was like I was possessed. I went through all kinds of emotions and thoughts. I didn't really know what I was doing, and yet, the characters just took over! Sometimes it was like I was channeling or something. I would wake in the morning sometimes with the beginning of a scene I just had to tell and stumble to my computer to get it down!

So ...

Maybe I'm a One Hit Wonder. (Well, not even a hit, really!)

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I just figure that editing one of mine is enough for anyone. Two is probably asking too much.

 

[driphoney]

Then leave it and start something else. If you think it's boring, then there's a good chance others will too.
Maybe that piece wasn't meant to be written.
Not all ideas have to become a story. Merge several of them together to become a new plot.
Make new characters.

A good thought. You ever morph a story?

 

[tickledkitty]

Hmm .... don't know if I'm encouraged or discouraged. I mean, I can't just let this story go and move on with my life. I open it, stare at it, ponder it. It's never forgotten. I really want to explore this main character, give her a life, work it out. I even have [gasp!] a plot fleshed out, which is a major growth for me, as I was clueless on my first story.

Yet the negative voices in my head won't go away.

With my first story, once I got started, it was like I was possessed. I went through all kinds of emotions and thoughts. I didn't really know what I was doing, and yet, the characters just took over! Sometimes it was like I was channeling or something. I would wake in the morning sometimes with the beginning of a scene I just had to tell and stumble to my computer to get it down!

So ...

Maybe I'm a One Hit Wonder. (Well, not even a hit, really!)

That's great when it happens, but it hardly ever does, at least not for me.

The only thing I can do when I'm in a rut is just keep writing, even if I think it's crap. Usually there's some sort of hump there. Some situation or scene that I need to work through. Once I get through that, it's easier.

 

[loganforester]

Scared you so bad you never came back either.

(Chicken)

Your bark is far worse than your bite though

 

[_Lynn_]

I just figure that editing one of mine is enough for anyone. Two is probably asking too much.

Odd thought. I find it easier to work on a consistent basis with someone.

 

[driphoney]

Your bark is far worse than your bite though

I've discovered editors are a cross between dentists and gynecologists. You're terrified to go to one, then you're passionately in love with yours once you get one and are suspicous of everyone elses!

 

[voluptuary_manque]

My editors have always been very kind. That's why I hesitate to go to the same ones very often.

 

[sr71plt]

I've had problems sometimes bogging down when writing nonfiction (especially on a deadline--although I always made the deadline with something approaching the requirements), but I haven't felt any of the pressures with fiction.