One of Nine Lives

+ rant: you think your writing isn't good enough

I'm going to be honest here. I was looking through my library to see what needed to be archived when I came across something a sweet friend of mine writes in. I checked to see if I'd read the last update to put it to sleep until her next upload. I paused for a moment as I stared at her cover.

Wow, she writes anyway, I thought to myself. Even though what she usually writes is very short, look at all that she's written! I know she struggles with confidence in writing. I know she compares herself to others authors and gets discouraged because she doesn't write as much as they do. I know she has a hard time with writing in general... but she still does it anyway.

My friends, I think all of us on Wattpad- or literally anyone who has written anything ever- can attest to battling these things. Whatever it's not updating very frequent, smaller group of followers, starting projects but never finishing them, dawdling in small projects as opposed to popping out a novel (or a series), feeling like you habe to maintain a certain image or number, all of us have struggled with at least one of these.

Can I tell you a secret?

Lean in close because I'm going to whisper this one because it's so precious that it needs to settle in.

You are not them.

You never will be them.

The world doesn't need another "them."

Be you.

Be bold.

Be confident that even if you're writing skills aren't as developed as someone else's just write anyway! Because even if that story was said before (plagiarism isn't cool but own that cliché and put your own twist) you should still say it. Why?

What if people don't actually read it?

I know constructive criticism is important and I know support is massive, but you need to be content with where you're at so you can grow beyond where you are but in a healthy way.

What if nobody likes it?

The first question is: do you as the writer like it or are you obsessing over details? Think about characters and what they are like, figure out your plot (your backbone), and what knowledge or concept or moral or whatever it is that they're taking away from your story (this is your theme). It's like a gumbo. Well, those not from the south might better understand stew. You see, your characters are the rice you build your bowl upon, the plot is the meat of the story/stew that you saturate the characters with, and then the theme is your flavor providing a rich, savory taste and a pleasant aroma. You know what is the potato and egg salad on the side that you get a good spoonful then dunk it into the broth of your stew and that's the best part of it all? That, my friends, is your conflict. Conflict plunges into your story interrupting the rhythm you'd set out before it all. Conflict is the driving force always propelling you characters forward or backward one way or another. Every scene needs some kind of conflict to move the story along, even the mushy, fluffy, awesome, favorite scenes. Personal exaple: main characters dance together confessing interest in one another but jealous ex-girlfriend looms on the sidelines. Bonus points if you got the reference. 😉

Wait, what was I originally talking about???

Oh. YEAH! So no matter what it is you feel you're lacking, write it anyway. Be bold and courageous. It may not be as awesome as other writers, but you're not where they are, you're where you are in your writing and that's not a bad place to be. Everyone has to learn somehow, why not start here?

Make attainable goals (baby steps if you need to), push yourself to do your best, and then go for it! Above all have fun doing something you like. If you don't like writing then be an enthusiastic reader! If you don't like reading then watch movies!

Don't get overwhelmed comparing yourself to others because of what they have that you don't. Celebrate others but also celebrate your failures and learn from your successes. Yes, that was intentional wording.

Just keep writing. That'severything summed up.

Rant over.