Lacking Confidence?

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I'm in the final stages of prepping my manuscript to be beta read by my trusted writing buddies. My friends know the basic premise of the story, because they've helped me with the query. But the actual manuscript has not been seen by anyone but me.

Guess what I'm lacking? Confidence.

You know that feeling, right? That feeling of fear just before you send that newborn story to have it critiqued. It's a scary step in the publishing process--but absolutely necessary.

*Deep breaths*

When I'm feeling insecure, I like to search for inspiration. Here are some share-worthy quotes about confidence:

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. --Eleanor Roosevelt

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not. --Attributed to Hanoch McCarty

We have to learn to be our own best friends, because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies. --Roderick Thorp, Rainbow Drive

It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to. --W.C. Fields

Whether you think you can or think you can't, you are right. --Henry Ford

I quit being afraid when my first venture failed and the sky didn't fall down. --Allen H. Neuharth

If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. --Vincent Van Gogh

Don't live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable. --Wendy Wasserstein

A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. Every day sends to their graves obscure men whose timidity prevented them from making a first effort. --Sydney Smith

Friends, do you suffer from lack of confidence when someone else reads your work? Does fear prevent you from sending it out? Did these quotes give you the confidence to send it out anyway? Please share!

The Grinch Who Stole Confidence

My confidence sparkled beneath my tree

The words kept me going, and helped me believe

It was wrapped up all pretty and tied with a bow

"You can do it, You're Awesome, Yay, Way to Go!"

Faith in my writing soon disappeared

Replaced with belief that my words were all weird

The chatter grew louder, it banged in my head

The Grinch stole my pluck, left my writing for dead

"Back away, Grinch!" I shouted with verve

"You can't take my faith, nor my courage and nerve!"

"I'll fall, to be sure, that's part of the game.

What you're doing is cruel, and your costume is lame."

He slipped up my chimney, scurried out like a mouse

I kept his cute doggie, cuz hey, it's my house

Words peeked through his bag, dumped without care

"You'd better not quit. No, don't you dare."

And so writer friends, shouldn't we know?

Hang tight to your confidence, don't let it go!

Has the Grinch ever stolen your confidence?

How did you snatch it back from the green beast?

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