When I’m looking at a blank page, my inner critic likes to remind me that I haven’t published yet, and there’s every chance no one will ever see the words I’m about to put on the page. Writing is hard work, especially when I’m going through the entire process of finishing a novel, editing it, polishing it, and getting it ready for the world. And then begins the process of researching publishers to find a match for the piece, and there’s the daily work of always always always learning, reading, studying, practicing, all to improve my craft.
Why not just daydream and enjoy the stories myself?
And then I think about those moments when I’ve shared my work with someone who really got it. Someone who said, “Yes! This.” And that singular feeling of connecting with another human being drives me to keep going, to keep putting word after word on the page. It’s all the more terrifying for all the people out there who will say, “No. Not this.” But without trying, without sending out these flares of self-expression, I’ll miss those connections that make life so worthwhile.
Wow, great post! Love the blog look, too…
So this…” my inner critic likes to remind me that I haven’t published yet.” That was my nemesis for a while. I got one thing published, and the litany changed to, this sucks ppl prolly hate it and OMG *angst*, etc. What you talk about is so important. We have to silence those voices in favor of the things that make our work sing out, that allow us to forge those connections. And I’ve always loved that poem, hehe. Happy Thursday, lovely post, and happy writing!
I’m glad you like the post and the blog! The inner critic changes with our circumstances and knows just the right thing to say to get under our skin. It’s a constant challenge, but one that we’ll hopefully get better at handling with time and practice. Happy Friday!
[…] When I come to this blank page, it’s to share ideas, observations, and epiphanies. I’m not specifically talking to my readers or my family or my friends. I’m casting my thoughts into the universe, like the “noiseless, patient spider” from the Walt Whitman poem I included in my very first blog post. […]