{motivation} Curing Self-Doubt

Sometimes I have dark thoughts like these...

What am I doing? I can't write a book.

This plot is crud.

I will never figure out how to write the kind of book I like to read.

{Insert talented writing friend's name} is way better than me. I'll never be as good as them.

This is a waste of my time.

Look at all the writers younger than me who are successful!

I should have figured this out by now.

{Insert brilliant book just read} was amazing. It was tense and fabulous and I couldn't put it down. I will never be able to write a book like that.

My book is rotten.

What if I put all these years into this and I never get it right?

*sigh*

Sometimes I am such an Eeyore, eh?

Now, don't worry too much. I am not always a wretched, gloomy and miserable creature who is in danger of finding a parapet to throw myself off of.

However, there are times these damaging thoughts creep into my brain like ugly self-doubting bacteria latching onto an open wound. Hmmmmmm, that paints a lovely picture.

The other night I started getting down after I struggled to rewrite a chapter. I'm rewriting huge chunks of my novel. And it's hard. It's so difficult to let myself write those stinky drafts of chapters and scenes.

Then I remembered a quote I read awhile back. It was something like, "We compare ourselves at our worst to others at their best." (found on Pinterest, of course)

Oh! How this applies to writing! Don't we do that? Don't we look at our favorite books and then compare our rough drafts to them? Are we nuts? Of course our stinky drafts aren't as good as a polished shiny edited piece of writing. But it's up to us to get them there. And if we let our self-doubt stop us, then we never will.

"Change your thoughts and you'll change your world." Isn't that brilliant?

I need to change my thoughts. I need to remind myself...

I am a good writer.

I love my WIP.

I love the world and the characters and the creatures I'm creating.

I love the plot.

I chose to have a large family and I am so so happy with that. My family brings me massive quantities of joy (also included are massive quantities of laundry, dishes and boogers wiped on random surfaces. Gross. I know.) I also choose to spend a lot of time playing, crafting, cooking and simply being together with my monkeys. And this is perfect for me. So, no, I am not as successful as many writers who are younger than me and chances are, they have less or no children. And that's okay. I have my own pace to go.

I have grown as a writer. I can see where I started and I can see where I am. Yes, I have a ways to go, I have a destination in mind, but I am happy with what I have accomplished and the direction I'm headed.

I know I can do this. I know I can learn how to write these books in my head so they will grab readers like they've grabbed me.

It's up to me to make the time for this. It's up to me to work at this until I get it right. And if I choose to do it. Then I will. If I choose to doubt. Then I won't. But all the same, it's up to me.



       

Last, one of my very favorites...

So, what about you? How do you cure the self-doubt?

Quotes from my Pinterest board about writing.