Have you ever read something and thought "this is really good" and then discovered that it was something you wrote and then forgot about? I don't think its up to us to judge whether we're good writers or not because I don't think we can distance ourselves enough from what we do.
I look at other writers and JK Rowling is a good example for me. I think she has a fantastic imagination and she creates amazing stories (The Harry Potter ones anyway, I could never get into her other work), but I think she's a dreadful writer. But no-one could call her unsuccessful.
And for what its worth, this is the first piece of yours that I've read and I think its very well written.
Your love for writing is evident in every word. This passion is your greatest asset. Every writer, even the greats you admire, has grappled with self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. The idea of creating a "perfect" piece is a myth. Imperfections are part of the process - and I loved reading your piece, Madeline! 🧡
Thank you so much for your kind words, Mohika. It's definitely good to remind ourselves that every writer has had their own struggles with self-doubt and feeling inadequate. I appreciate you taking the time to read 🤎
Okay one the photos on here are beautiful. And two I feel the same, especially when I’m reading an author’s book who I greatly admire - I think ‘wow, I’ll never write something like this”. Rereading my first draft has been so hard because what I thought was good at the time, I now see as bad. I’m trying to embrace it though, embrace failure. Without the mistakes, I don’t ask questions. Without the past bad writing I’ve done, I don’t learn how to be a better writer. Without the inspiring authors, I don’t learn more about genres and writing and books and what I want to show in my own work.
Yes, this is so true. We can't stop reading our own work because we need it to grow as writer.s Just like we need to read authors and genres who inspire us. That's how we learn, like you said. But it's hard not to let ourselves compare and criticise. There's a very fine line there. Fingers crossed we can both find a way to do this!
Reading through a first draft can be so hard. But I have no doubt that you have some incredible hidden gems in there -- and one day you will look back on this first draft and think "wow, I've come so far!".
I think this so often! The "I'll never be able to write something this amazing." It's discouraging and disheartening. It makes me want it all the more but makes me also worry I'm further than ever away from the dream.
It really is. I’m working on viewing it in a different light - I love what they did here, wow that’s a great idea … it’s hard!! For sure!! But a lot of learning comes from observing and absorbing. I’ll be a better writer being well read - just working on the mindset portion of it!
Something I have to always remind myself is that any published book is a work of collaboration. By the time it hits shelves, the author has had help from at least 3-5 professionals (agent, editor, copyeditor, proofreader) to make it the best it can be. Publishing my own book has really opened my eyes to this! Compared to the manuscript I first submitted to my agent, the published book will be 1000% better--and that's largely thanks to working as a team with other people! (Remembering this helps me feel a bit better about the shitty first draft I'm currently revising!)
This is something that I'm trying to remind myself too as I read through my work. I mean, it's not fair for me to compare my book (who has only ever been read over by me) to a book that has seen so many different sets of eyes. Such a great reminder, Morgan! So exciting about your book!
I feel the same way. I hate it when I doubt myself and question the quality of my writing but I agree with you. We just have to keep going I guess. You'll make it one day, and you are a really good writer. I love reading your work!
I like how fluidly you have written this! I have always considered myself a pretty average writer. Sometimes (read: some rare times), I come across a piece of my writing that leaves me amazed, instead of embarrassed. That rare feeling keeps me going, mostly.
Thank you so much, Nidhi! I'm so glad that you are able to find moments where you look at your own writing with awe. I find myself chasing after that feeling and it's incredible when it happens. I have no doubt you'll find plenty more moments like that!
I feel like a bad writer everytime I write my newsletter - I think it’s part of the craft 🥲 don’t even get me started on how it feels when I dip into my own drafts!! Writing is a psychologically cruel passion haha
Taking the leap from Instagram to Substack, somehow brought it even more closer than before. At least on Instagram the captions were short, so I did not have space to overthink it too much. Ironically it was the lack of space to actually write what I wanted that pushed me over to substack, only to meet face to face with my inner critic. My inner critic knows how to hit all the spots that makes me doubt myself even more.
But it has also been so freeing, to publish even when I feel like its a bad post and see that it is alright. Maybe not the best I have written, but good enough for what I wanted to say that week.
And that's so interesting what you said about moving from Instagram to Substack. It's incredible how a blank document can create so much self-doubt. But I love everything that you post and I always look forward to seeing a new post from you in my inbox!
Haha it is! I was caught off guard the first few weeks I was on here, as it was just a battle with myself to get anything out. It get easier there more one does it though, so that is a nice change to see
The photos are so striking! I don’t worry about being a bad writer so much as being a basic one. If I was to write a book I have this fantasy it would be the most layered interesting new special thing and I haven’t even written a short story in ten years lol. Essay writing is good practice but fiction is another beast entirely! If it matters at all, the readers of this pub have faith in you!
I thought these photos were so perfect for this piece, I'm so glad that you love them too!
This is so interesting because I think about this also as I write fantasy too. The pull to write something so layered, so interesting, so special can be so strong that it's almost paralysing because I don't know if I have the ability to.
And thank you so much, Natalie, that truly means the world to me!
I'm not a perfectionist by any stretch (some of the stuff I publish has been written hours before). I have had to work really hard not to let the work of others get to me. It's hard when you see a million quote notes describing how perfect and awesome someone's sentence is and you do want to foster community. However, I've learned that words and words of poetically mystifying prose isn't my thing. That doesn't mean I'm a bad writer. I just throw my stuff to the wind. Once it's done, I have to let it go. I think it's important to look at your past stuff and cringing is a sign of growth.
I read this somewhere that we often forget to treat ourself like the people we love in our life. And being kind to yourself is a very crucial practice for everyone and in all this perfectionism spiral we lose the real purpose, our hunger for the things we are passionate about. And we all need to be reminded about this fact regularly and stop overthinking.
You're so right, we often do forget to treat ourselves we the same love and respect as we do the other people in our lives. This is such an important reminder -- I feel like I need to write this somewhere so I can see it every single day.
Hello there, don't beat yourself up, who is to say what is good or bad writing? Critiques ? They may never have written anything themselves ! How about you collect a whole bunch of your past writing, edit it, and pack it into an e-book? Might just become a best seller !! Good luck.
I really feel this piece, the need for perfectionism, fear of failure, insurmountable self doubt, I really do feel it all too! I think for me I also noticed that the self doubt and criticism became somewhat of a security blanket (criticism can't hurt if I already criticism myself right!?), writing on substack has allowed me to not take myself so seriously, and enjoy the process of writing rather than dwelling in the fantasy of it! Amazing piece, (paintings included!!)
I love what you said about self-doubt and criticism becoming like a security blanket -- that really resonates with me! Sometimes it feels almost safer surrounded by my own self criticisms because nothing can hurt as bad as the things I say about myself.
I'm so glad that you resonated with this piece -- and that you are enjoying the process of writing on Substack. It's such a great place to find the love of writing agan!
you caught this feeling and articulated it BEAUTIFULLYYYY !!! criticism is so hard to take and when you’re hard on yourself first, it’s easier to swallow the pill of others criticism i have been trying to learn that there are no right or wrong answers, as hard as it is! people are here to derive inspiration from what you have to say, and this piece in itself proves that you are a good writer!
Thank you so much, Hailee, that means a lot! It can be so hard sometimes, but I have no doubt that we will both find a way to deal with these feelings.
Have you ever read something and thought "this is really good" and then discovered that it was something you wrote and then forgot about? I don't think its up to us to judge whether we're good writers or not because I don't think we can distance ourselves enough from what we do.
I look at other writers and JK Rowling is a good example for me. I think she has a fantastic imagination and she creates amazing stories (The Harry Potter ones anyway, I could never get into her other work), but I think she's a dreadful writer. But no-one could call her unsuccessful.
And for what its worth, this is the first piece of yours that I've read and I think its very well written.
Thank you so much, Fiona! 🤎
Your love for writing is evident in every word. This passion is your greatest asset. Every writer, even the greats you admire, has grappled with self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. The idea of creating a "perfect" piece is a myth. Imperfections are part of the process - and I loved reading your piece, Madeline! 🧡
Thank you so much for your kind words, Mohika. It's definitely good to remind ourselves that every writer has had their own struggles with self-doubt and feeling inadequate. I appreciate you taking the time to read 🤎
I read this and thought it was pretty damn good. Don't worry.
Thank you, John!
Okay one the photos on here are beautiful. And two I feel the same, especially when I’m reading an author’s book who I greatly admire - I think ‘wow, I’ll never write something like this”. Rereading my first draft has been so hard because what I thought was good at the time, I now see as bad. I’m trying to embrace it though, embrace failure. Without the mistakes, I don’t ask questions. Without the past bad writing I’ve done, I don’t learn how to be a better writer. Without the inspiring authors, I don’t learn more about genres and writing and books and what I want to show in my own work.
Its easier said than done though :)
Yes, this is so true. We can't stop reading our own work because we need it to grow as writer.s Just like we need to read authors and genres who inspire us. That's how we learn, like you said. But it's hard not to let ourselves compare and criticise. There's a very fine line there. Fingers crossed we can both find a way to do this!
Reading through a first draft can be so hard. But I have no doubt that you have some incredible hidden gems in there -- and one day you will look back on this first draft and think "wow, I've come so far!".
I think this so often! The "I'll never be able to write something this amazing." It's discouraging and disheartening. It makes me want it all the more but makes me also worry I'm further than ever away from the dream.
It really is. I’m working on viewing it in a different light - I love what they did here, wow that’s a great idea … it’s hard!! For sure!! But a lot of learning comes from observing and absorbing. I’ll be a better writer being well read - just working on the mindset portion of it!
Something I have to always remind myself is that any published book is a work of collaboration. By the time it hits shelves, the author has had help from at least 3-5 professionals (agent, editor, copyeditor, proofreader) to make it the best it can be. Publishing my own book has really opened my eyes to this! Compared to the manuscript I first submitted to my agent, the published book will be 1000% better--and that's largely thanks to working as a team with other people! (Remembering this helps me feel a bit better about the shitty first draft I'm currently revising!)
This is something that I'm trying to remind myself too as I read through my work. I mean, it's not fair for me to compare my book (who has only ever been read over by me) to a book that has seen so many different sets of eyes. Such a great reminder, Morgan! So exciting about your book!
I feel the same way. I hate it when I doubt myself and question the quality of my writing but I agree with you. We just have to keep going I guess. You'll make it one day, and you are a really good writer. I love reading your work!
Thank you so much Ayesha. I have so much faith in you too, your writing is glorious and I love reading everything that you share!
That's lovely. Thank you. I believe in you too and I love reading your posts!
I like how fluidly you have written this! I have always considered myself a pretty average writer. Sometimes (read: some rare times), I come across a piece of my writing that leaves me amazed, instead of embarrassed. That rare feeling keeps me going, mostly.
Thank you so much, Nidhi! I'm so glad that you are able to find moments where you look at your own writing with awe. I find myself chasing after that feeling and it's incredible when it happens. I have no doubt you'll find plenty more moments like that!
I feel like a bad writer everytime I write my newsletter - I think it’s part of the craft 🥲 don’t even get me started on how it feels when I dip into my own drafts!! Writing is a psychologically cruel passion haha
"Writing is a psychological cruel passion" -- the truest words ever written! 😂
Hits home on so many levels!
Taking the leap from Instagram to Substack, somehow brought it even more closer than before. At least on Instagram the captions were short, so I did not have space to overthink it too much. Ironically it was the lack of space to actually write what I wanted that pushed me over to substack, only to meet face to face with my inner critic. My inner critic knows how to hit all the spots that makes me doubt myself even more.
But it has also been so freeing, to publish even when I feel like its a bad post and see that it is alright. Maybe not the best I have written, but good enough for what I wanted to say that week.
We are our own worst critics
We definitely are our own worst critics!
And that's so interesting what you said about moving from Instagram to Substack. It's incredible how a blank document can create so much self-doubt. But I love everything that you post and I always look forward to seeing a new post from you in my inbox!
Haha it is! I was caught off guard the first few weeks I was on here, as it was just a battle with myself to get anything out. It get easier there more one does it though, so that is a nice change to see
Thank you for the kind words and feedback! 😄
The photos are so striking! I don’t worry about being a bad writer so much as being a basic one. If I was to write a book I have this fantasy it would be the most layered interesting new special thing and I haven’t even written a short story in ten years lol. Essay writing is good practice but fiction is another beast entirely! If it matters at all, the readers of this pub have faith in you!
I thought these photos were so perfect for this piece, I'm so glad that you love them too!
This is so interesting because I think about this also as I write fantasy too. The pull to write something so layered, so interesting, so special can be so strong that it's almost paralysing because I don't know if I have the ability to.
And thank you so much, Natalie, that truly means the world to me!
I'm not a perfectionist by any stretch (some of the stuff I publish has been written hours before). I have had to work really hard not to let the work of others get to me. It's hard when you see a million quote notes describing how perfect and awesome someone's sentence is and you do want to foster community. However, I've learned that words and words of poetically mystifying prose isn't my thing. That doesn't mean I'm a bad writer. I just throw my stuff to the wind. Once it's done, I have to let it go. I think it's important to look at your past stuff and cringing is a sign of growth.
I like your pink mess^^
I read this somewhere that we often forget to treat ourself like the people we love in our life. And being kind to yourself is a very crucial practice for everyone and in all this perfectionism spiral we lose the real purpose, our hunger for the things we are passionate about. And we all need to be reminded about this fact regularly and stop overthinking.
💌🥹Loved this
You're so right, we often do forget to treat ourselves we the same love and respect as we do the other people in our lives. This is such an important reminder -- I feel like I need to write this somewhere so I can see it every single day.
Hello there, don't beat yourself up, who is to say what is good or bad writing? Critiques ? They may never have written anything themselves ! How about you collect a whole bunch of your past writing, edit it, and pack it into an e-book? Might just become a best seller !! Good luck.
Thank you, Glenn!
I really feel this piece, the need for perfectionism, fear of failure, insurmountable self doubt, I really do feel it all too! I think for me I also noticed that the self doubt and criticism became somewhat of a security blanket (criticism can't hurt if I already criticism myself right!?), writing on substack has allowed me to not take myself so seriously, and enjoy the process of writing rather than dwelling in the fantasy of it! Amazing piece, (paintings included!!)
I love what you said about self-doubt and criticism becoming like a security blanket -- that really resonates with me! Sometimes it feels almost safer surrounded by my own self criticisms because nothing can hurt as bad as the things I say about myself.
I'm so glad that you resonated with this piece -- and that you are enjoying the process of writing on Substack. It's such a great place to find the love of writing agan!
you caught this feeling and articulated it BEAUTIFULLYYYY !!! criticism is so hard to take and when you’re hard on yourself first, it’s easier to swallow the pill of others criticism i have been trying to learn that there are no right or wrong answers, as hard as it is! people are here to derive inspiration from what you have to say, and this piece in itself proves that you are a good writer!
Thank you so much, Hailee, that means a lot! It can be so hard sometimes, but I have no doubt that we will both find a way to deal with these feelings.
Same. On all counts. Your stream of consciousness feels like it poured out of my pen.
Thank you so much, Angie. I'm so glad it resonated with you!