Dealing With the Doubts
The emotional process of writing sounds a little something like this:
Ohhhh this is a good idea.
A really, really good idea.
The thoughts are flowing!
The words are flowing!
OH MY GOD, I AM BRILLIANT!!!
….
huh.
….
I am nothing.
This is horrible.
I hate this.
WHY DIDN’T I BECOME A DOCTOR?!?!
I would like to tell you that there’s some way to silent the latter part of that inner dialog, but I’ve not found it. I try and tell myself that the former is what gets me through. Those feelings of sheer brilliance and creativity. But the truth is, what gets me through is knowing that there are writers in this world, and editors.
I am a writer, mostly, but after years of teaching writing to college freshman I’ve become a decent editor. Of other people’s work. Certainly not my own. My writing, without the talented eyes of another person is choppy and awkward. I often miss the main point. I stray from what I mean. Editors keep me focused. They make it better.
Knowing someone else will look at my work helps quiet those doubts. I can tell myself that I might be a horrible no-talent hack, but there’s someone out there who has a little perspective, is far less emotionally involved and can simply cut what needs to be cut.
That person is my writing safety-net.
We hear all the time that writing is a solitary activity. But it can’t be. We need other eyes on our work. It eases the angst and creates writing that rich, full and typo-free. We hope.
