THE Group for Authors! discussion

Thanks for sharing this link. This morning I despaired as I worked on my blog...I was boring myself. Finding this link today of all days was just what I needed!

Every day. :)

No ... I have too many other doubts, to have the time to doubt that as well ... I do not doubt my ability - it is under my control to improve - my biggest doubt is that anyone actually gives a fuck ...

I think even the most confident of us have days (or weeks) like that. I just went through that when proofing my last book. I did it too soon so every word was too familiar and it bored me. Yet other people who have read it had trouble putting it down. Who is right and who is wrong--well, I'm hoping THEY'RE right and I'm wrong! :-)

Both my sister in law and I were married to writers who saw their own writing as being important and were negatively disposed to our writing, and yet, we have proved to be talented writers with something to say!

When I was married, my book hovered at the 30 page mark because I was used to not being listened to and so severely limited my written words, but once I left the marriage, I felt gradually freer, and so my page count grew to around 150, without being filled with "fluff"!
So my doubts as a writer have shifted dramatically!

Alp wrote: "No ... I have too many other doubts, to have the time to doubt that as well ... I do not doubt my ability - it is under my control to improve - my biggest doubt is that anyone actually gives a fuck..."
If the writing is good, people will care about it, don't you think?

Your post made me laugh. Recognition would be nice, but writing is about releasing the creativity within. It's cathartic. Whether people will read my stories or not, I'm refusing to put my pen down!

I doubt my ability to sell at times (most times). But I have gotten sales, slowly but surely. I don't think I'm a perfect writer, but at this point, I do believe I has some ability and skill.

Elyce wrote: "Alp wrote: "No ... I have too many other doubts, to have the time to doubt that as well ... I do not doubt my ability - it is under my control to improve - my biggest doubt is that anyone actually ..."

Perhaps; perhaps for a short time. Maybe in a few cases you touch someone and they 'stay' with you forever.

Author buddies of mine swear that they have no talent and wonder why they 'waste' their time ... both are talented and published - self-effacement is perfectly natural up to a point but it can also erode self-confidence. I write and try to improve my writing, in lots of different ways; by reading better, by studying technique, etc.

I suffer from ongoing depression. Before that, I never doubted my work. I knew it wasn't perfect, so I worked hard on it, but I never doubted that I could be a writer. And I was right! But with the depression comes doubts about everything, and it sucks. Just plain sucks. Even when I KNOW the work is good, I doubt it. I think it'll never sell. I cry because it's no good.

It's a real pain.

Anybody else have that problem? Also, I salute all of us who have our doubts but persevere. Go, US! :)

Writing helps me cope with depression. I tend to write the issues I am having into the story as a way of exorcising them out of my head - it does help.

And I'll never write a story which everyone loves nor will I write a story which everyone hates - I'm writing for myself - and publishing myself - I don't care what other people think - and if I sell anything then it is a bonus.

I admire your strength, Tamara, for finding your own voice after being ignored for so long.
I've had more than 20 books published but always have doubts. I think most writers do and that's a good thing, it makes us work harder, edit more, revise, revise, revise! Disappearing Act

Thanks Dayle for your encouragement!

I felt compelled to write my book and have been reassured that it's messages are important for some folks, but I have questioned if the lessons contained within are as monumental for others as they were for me!

They were very hard learned... And since they were I listened to people when they said to write, but this subject is a harder sell than say Romance books!! (I'm not knocking the genre, just acknowledging the harder sell of a self help book!)