Beat the Negativity!

[kitty_fic]

When you hear that little voice telling you that you're not a good writer or everything you're doing is wrong. How do you combat that?

I've had several friends tell me that their writing has been crippled by negative thoughts and attitude.

What do you do when you start to compare yourself to others or have that niggling voice in the back of your mind telling you that you can't do it?

What are some things you have done or can do to quiet that negativity and push forward with a positive attitude?


“Comparison is the thief of joy.” ~Dwight Edwards

Comments

[meglw0228.livejournal.com]

I start scribbling. Which is my way of just writing words, sometimes random sentences, sometimes a random paragraph. Then I come back to what I was writing before and make sure it's something I want to create. Not something I need to create. The only time I ever write is when I want to read what I'm writing, and that generally helps with the negativity.

I also remind myself that I'm not a good writer. (And that's not me being pessimistic, more me being honest with myself.) I can always improve my writing, and have already done so. Ten more years down the road and everything I wrote last week really will look like some of my worst thoughts and words.

[curiouslyfic.livejournal.com]

Whoa. That is such a wonderful way to look at it. The difference between wanting to write and needing to write seems small, but it's so huge sometimes. I really like your take on it. <3

[meglw0228.livejournal.com]

Yes exactly, it seemed so stupid to me when I first started writing...I thought who cares what I want, it should be all about what the readers want and then it was all 'now the readers need this'. The first two years I ever wrote for fun were need based, and some of the worst writing I ever did. Now it almost seems so simple to write something I want to write. Thank you.

[kinky-kneazle.livejournal.com]

Yes, scribbling, exactly! That's my method as well!