Dear worldbuilder,
Thank you so much for your continued support of my business and the blog! Watching my support grow over time has been a wonderful experience and I will be providing more articles and social media posts this summer to celebrate.
In the meantime, though, I'd like to share the work of our second guest blogger, Jaime Watson! Jaime has worked very hard on this piece, editing it multiple times to ensure that her message will resonate (I think she succeeded!). Likewise, both speculative writers and the broader writing community will find this guidance useful as they come to find themselves in the revision stage of their publishing journey.
Please be sure to leave a comment for Jaime and let us know what you think!
Feelings get in the way of good writing.
Wow, Jaime. Them’s fightin’ words.
Yup. They sure are. So grab your gloves and . . .
LET’S RUMBLE!
To transcend.
However, passion isn’t enough on its own. Objectivity is equally imperative.
In fact, it is often a writer’s lack of objectivity that necessitates outside feedback from critique partners, alpha readers, beta readers, and editors (although editors do bring more to the table than their objectivity, if I may toot my own horn a bit).
But those pesky feelings often come out to play while receiving that feedback. Writers can get overly attached to each individual element of their writing—every word, every comma, every plot point, every description of their fantasy world, every detail of their futuristic society, every idea—and they have a hard time hearing and accepting that perhaps their articles, stories, books, etc. could use more work.
But writers aren’t alone. Dealing with criticism is hard on everyone, particularly when we put so much of ourselves into something.
When we open ourselves up to evaluation, we then must deal with the overwhelming emotions that accompany such judgment—rage, feelings of inadequacy, sorrow, exhaustion, dejection, fear, etc.
And it makes sense to have such a strong emotional reaction to critical opinions. Everyone tends to place their value in the things they do and how well they do them. Be that our jobs, or our identities as parents, siblings, friends, or spouses . . . we judge our value by how “good” or “bad” we are at the various roles we hold in our lives. Artists—musicians, graphic designers, painters, sculptors, and yes, writers—most often determine the bulk of their value based on the things they create. So, before we go any further, let me say this—you have intrinsic value that exists outside of your identity as a mom, dad, brother, sister, carpenter, guitarist, cook, engineer, janitor, guitarist, writer . . .
You are important and you have value. No matter what.
Now, writers have an—understandable—emotional attachment to the words and stories they write. The things they write are products of their minds, their experiences, and their souls. Fantasy writers create whole worlds in their imaginations and bring them to life for their readers. For the writers, those worlds are often as real to them as the one you and I live in. Science fiction writers are inspired by their own questions of the universe. While their writing may not provide the answers, it at least provides an outlet to explore those questions and come to terms with them.
My own writing is a result of the thoughts that race through my mind at all hours of the day and night. It’s my way of managing my ADHD, my coping mechanism for my depression, and my outlet for all the thoughts and feelings that would otherwise overwhelm me.
Writing, like all art, is a deeply personal extension of its creator.
Those words and stories are as much a part of a writer as their nose. Their arm. THEIR HEART. It’s no wonder maintaining objectivity about your art is difficult. Listening to criticism—no matter how constructive it may be—about something so integral to your identity is excruciating. It can feel like a punch to the gut to hear that your words don’t convey the message as well as you hoped, or your story doesn’t resonate the way you imagined it would. But everyone who creates something does so with a purpose, whether that purpose is to entertain, to educate, to enchant, to provoke, or simply to be seen. Regardless of your purpose, you cannot create in a vacuum. That means you must open yourself to the thoughts and ideas of others—and yes, their judgment too.
Compartmentalizing your emotions and accepting feedback is easier said than done. Different writers will have different hurdles to overcome. First, you must identify what type of writer you are so you can know where to begin.
There are three main types of writers.
1. Egomaniacs—writers who think every single thing they write is gospel, and nobody can tell them otherwise.
2. Impostors—writers who wholeheartedly believe their writing is terrible, no matter how good it is, and fall to pieces when faced with criticism.
3. Vacillators—writers who regularly traverse the path between egomania and impostor syndrome.
I like to think myself a vacillator, but my conscience won’t allow me to lie to you; I spend a lot more time in the dumps with the Impostors than living large with the Egomaniacs.
You’re probably thinking this article is aimed at the Egomaniacs among us.
Well, it isn’t. This article is directed at every writer, no matter which group they fall into. Because here’s the deal—whether you think you’re the bee’s knees or the dog’s feces (or something in between), you might be letting your accompanying emotions get in the way of being the best writer you can be.
So, Egomaniacs—listen up.
You’re probably pretty great, but there’s a chance you aren’t quite as great as you think you are. If someone tells you that your sentence structure needs work, don’t shrug them off. Nudge the ego aside and take a deeper look. If someone questions your plotline or your character development, fight the urge to scoff. Instead, consider whether your story could use more work. Worst case scenario, you can change it all back to the way you had it before.
Best case scenario—your writing improves because you took the necessary steps to overcome your ego and become a better writer. Don’t get me wrong; confidence is not only admirable, it is also necessary for navigating the shark-infested waters of writing and publishing. However, for you to benefit from your confidence, it must be properly placed.
When you refuse to hear anything critical about your writing, your readers suffer. Your writing stagnates. You get stuck in a loop of denial that prevents you from being the best writer you’re capable of becoming. Your readers deserve better; the words you’ve poured your heart and soul into deserve better. And, more importantly, YOU DESERVE BETTER.
Open yourself to criticism so you can learn your weaknesses. Your writing will flourish if you let it—if you listen to all feedback. Positive, negative, and everything in between. Learn what you’re doing well and what you can do better. Then keep doing the good things and do the not-so-good things better.
Hey there, Impostors. I see you.
You are talented and intelligent, and you can do this!
If someone tells you your blog article has a stream-of-consciousness vibe and could use more cohesion, don’t take that to mean the entire thing is garbage and needs to be tossed into the nearest bonfire. If someone says you have a great topic and an excellent take on the subject, but the article could use a gentler touch . . . that still doesn’t mean you should blow the whole dang thing to smithereens.
If those examples seem oddly specific, well . . . like I said—I see you, impostors.
Listen to evaluations of your writing and implement the necessary changes. But—here’s the kicker!—maintain a healthy emotional distance.
It may seem overwhelming to fix the errors, and it may seem like there’s so much to learn. But you aren’t alone. Nobody knows all there is to know. Nobody is great 100% of the time. Give yourself the emotional space you need to succeed.
To combat impostor syndrome, you will need to work at silencing that annoying voice—the shrill tone so full of negativity and doubt. However, the work begins NOW. Don’t wait until it’s time to seek feedback.
Affirmations can be life changing. Literally tell yourself—aloud—what you need to hear. Some people like to speak affirmations in front of a mirror. Other people like them prominently displayed in a location they can see them and read them aloud multiple times a day. Find a method that works for you and commit to it. Some examples of affirmations include:
· I have value. My writing has value.
· I learn and grow every single day, and that makes me a better writer.
· Writing is hard, but I keep going because I have the fortitude it takes to overcome challenges.
· I am a good writer.
· I get stronger, better, and smarter every day.
Have 3-5 affirmations you tell yourself at least once every day. Take some of the ones I provided, find different ones online or in books, and/or write your own.
Other ways to combat impostor syndrome include:
· Acknowledge your feelings, but do not engage them. Ask yourself: are your feelings holding you back or helping you?
· Frequent reminders of your accomplishments.
· Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based) goals, and celebrate every milestone.
· Don’t measure your success against the success of others. Define success for yourself.
· Surround yourself with supportive allies—friends, family, or strangers on the internet.
· When it comes to facing constructive criticism, remind yourself that critique will make you a better writer, which will increase your confidence.
Confidence, like anything else, requires practice. People like to believe that they will believe in themselves once they accomplish their goals—when they publish their first book, write a bestseller, have an average rating of 4.5 stars on a book—but that isn’t how it works. You must practice confidence to achieve it. Start today. Because if you can find your confidence and embrace feedback, you will leave your inner Impostor behind. And you will succeed beyond your wildest dreams.
That leaves you, Vacillators.
You’re probably the healthiest of the bunch. But don’t start gloating yet. You risk falling into the same dangerous traps of both the Egomaniacs and the Impostors. So, go back and read all the tips provided above.
If you find yourself scoffing at others’ opinions, tell your ego to step off and take charge of the situation. When you’re searching Amazon for a 20-gallon aluminum trashcan and an industrial-sized pack of matches, ask yourself if your manuscript is truly the dumpster fire you’ve dubbed it or if some hard work and fortitude can turn it into the masterpiece your inner egomaniac believes it to be.
For all writers everywhere—
Nobody said it would be easy.
Writing is hard. It’s personal. It’s art.
When a writer puts their words and stories out in the world, they are exposing their most vulnerable self for judgment. It takes great courage to be an artist. And it takes both wisdom and courage to accept judgment and use it to become a better writer.
I believe that you have both the wisdom and the courage to be GREAT. Believe with me.
This is Jaime—a self-proclaimed impostor and humble freelance editor—signing off. Tell your ego I said hello.