Most writers appreciate a morsel of validation from time to time, whether it's from writing peers, industry pros, or family & friends. As Rachelle Gardner wrote in this post, "It's perfectly natural to want validation for your work."Are writers especially needy? I don't think so. Here are my thoughts:
- Musicians are validated when fans buy their music.
- Teachers are validated when a struggling student breaks through.
- Employees are validated when they receive a raise or promotion.
- Parents are validated when they receive compliments about their children
No matter where we are on our writing journey, with each project we finish, each positive critique we receive, or each lesson we learn, we validate that we're on the right path.
Jenny Torres Sanchez wrote in this must-read post: Sara Zarr at SCBWI -- VALIDATION -- "When you feel like you might be setting yourself up for failure or are unsure if you'll ever be able to clear the next hurdle, then hearing that what you do matters, that it is important and necessary, well then, that is one hundred percent, unadulterated validation."
I couldn't have said it better myself. Do you receive the validation needed to keep going? Do you offer validation to fellow authors?
If you're looking for inspiration and validation, check out Jill Kemerer's post about Nurturing the Fragile Writer's Ego.