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| Writing fears are real. |
Is My Writing Good Enough To Share?
It’s scary to display our thoughts and feelings for public judgment.
I get that.
Who wants to open themselves up to criticism, or worse, ridicule?
Especially after we have worked so long and hard building up our public persona: the facade we maintain that we hope others seek when they think of us.
So maybe we try to dull any pointed comments with a preemptive, “It’s a little story, not to be taken seriously. I just wrote it as a whimsy. Ha Ha.”
But It’s Real For Us.
We absolutely want to hear, “This is good. You should do more.”
Ah, yes. Those are magic words the first time we hear someone other than mama say them.
Mama doesn’t count when it comes to critiquing your work, Snookums. You have always been the most talented and creative creature on this planet and she has your art hanging on her refrigerator to prove it. Of course, she thinks you’re wonderful and you shouldn’t change a word.
Yeah, But What If …?
That’s it, isn’t it? The “what if?” Truly, there are a lot of reasons to avoid submitting our stories. Sometimes our characters don’t want to leave home. We haven’t prepared them to live in the real world of imagination and they know it.
Here’s What You Do.
If you can’t take a creative writing course, buy books on how to write and read them yourself. One will lead to another.
Subscribe to blogs. Some of my favorites are Almost An Author, Anne R. Allen’s Blog, Jane Friedman, K.M. Weiland, Kathy Steinemann, Steve Laube Agency, and The Write Conversation.
There are more, but this will do for starters.
Enter contests. This most often will include receiving a critique from a professional agent or editor. Embrace such feedback. The more red ink on our pages means more opportunities for us to learn.
And the four most important things to do that will turn you into a polished writer are: write, write, write, read.
What do you think we should do to build confidence? Leave a comment.
Writing Fiction is published on Wednesdays
Thank a veteran
Writing Fiction 
Just keep writing.
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Thanks, Igor. That seems to be the real answer, doesn't it?
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