Slay The Doubt Monster?

"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." -- William Shakespeare


Welcome, Insecure Writer's Support Group!

Do you ever doubt your talent?

Me, too.


Recently, I was asked to be a guest judge for a contest over at Adventures in YA & Children's Publishing. (Awesome blog, by the way, in case you haven't visited yet)

I didn't jump at the chance and write the organizers back immediately. Why? Not because I didn't want to offer any help I could to other writers. No, I doubted my ability. I even wrote Martina back saying yes, I'd be happy to help, although I don't consider myself a strong enough writer to offer critiques. After all, I have so much to learn myself.

When I mentioned this to my super supportive hubby, this conversation followed:

Hubby: "Why aren't you qualified?"
Me: "Well, there are a lot of better writers than me."
Hubby: *feins shock* *both hands to his face, Home Alone style* *super sarcastic voice*  "Why are other writers better? Because they have books out?"
Me: *sheepishly* "Yes, but..."
Hubby: *rudely interrupts* "You mean...like Arnold Schwarzenegger? Snooki? The Kardashians? They must all be better writers than you, because they have books out." 

Okay, okay, I got his point.

Something we tend to forget is that even experienced, multi-published writers doubt themselves and their abilities. It's normal. Tennessee Williams once said, "I don't believe anyone ever suspects how completely unsure I am of my work and myself and what tortures and self-doubting the doubt of others has always given me."

Huh.

If we're doubtful, maybe it's partly a good thing. It makes us try harder. As Robert Hughes said, "The greater the artist, the greater the doubt. Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize."

Ouch.

Let's embrace our doubting inner selves and still be creative, shall we?

Tell me, do you doubt your writing abilities on a regular basis? How do you push past it and remain creative?

Not Trying = Defeat

My 10-year-old twins are running for student council. They ran last year and lost. They were disappointed for about an hour, then moved on.

This year, one of them asked, "Do you think I can win?"

I often struggle for the perfect mommy words. Instead of telling my son something profound, I said, "You won't know unless you try."

The same goes for writers. I think it's safe to say we each experience moments of great doubt. It seeps in and courses through our veins. It explodes within every cell of our body.

Unpublished writers may wonder -- Do I have what it takes? Will this pile of words ever morph into something entertaining and publishable? If an agent loves my manuscript, will they find an editor who feels the same way?

The published writer might wonder -- Can I do it again?

Writer friends, this much we know for sure: we won't know unless we try. And try again. Not trying equals defeat, and we can't let that happen.

Will one of my fifth graders win a seat on the student council? I have no idea. But they'll give it all they've got and be proud of their effort. I could learn a lot from a 10-year-old.

How about you? Do you ever experience these doubts? Do you struggle to push past them and keep trying?

photo credit

Shakespeare, Doubt, and The Hangover

Our doubts are like traitors,

And make us lose the good we oft might win,

By fearing to attempt.

-William Shakespeare, "Measure for Measure"

Doubt. If you have none, I'm seriously jealous. I'm guessing that most writers have a healthy dose of the "D" word.

I sometimes wonder when the writer police will pound on my door and arrest me for fraud. I hope he'll at least look like Bradley Cooper. All hunky and tousled, with a split lip and aviator sunglasses. Like in "The Hangover"... *sigh*

Now, where was I?

Oh yes, doubt. The fear of failure shouldn't keep us from doing what we love. And our love of writing shouldn't disappear when we experience bumps along the way. We learn from our mistakes, and we grow.

Let's toss our doubts in the slammer, my writer friends. Let's throw away the key and write on!

P.S. A big thanks to the gals at "Adventures in Children's Publishing" for announcing Ann Marie Wraight and I as co-winners of their book prizes. Marissa and Martina, there's no doubt that you two contribute mightily to the writing community.