Michelle: Recently one of my writing buddies shot me an email. If I named the person, you'd know who it is. It's a multi-published author who's won many awards and is a well-received speaker. Here's the gist of the note:
"I don't believe in myself anymore. I don't believe in my writing."
If you're like me, you're like, "What? Dude! Are you kidding me? Newbie writers would pull teeth to write like you. You are a rock star of an author!"
Surprised? Shouldn't be. Doubt is the monkey on every artist's back, whether you're a writer, an actor, a red clay pottery whizz, whatever.
Every artist stops dead in their tracks at the self-doubt crossroads. (click to tweet)
The choice is to go left and quit. Hang up your writerly hat. Kiss it all goodbye and do something else. Or you can plod along on the right path, writing down stupid words that look stupid, sound stupid, maybe even are stupid, but you keep trying because it's who you are, what you were made to be.
Believe it or not, doubt is the mark of a true artist. Only wannabes and posers are puffed up with confidence and pride. Real artists anguish over and struggle with creating the best work possible, and sometimes that gets messy.
The bottom line is that it's not about you. It's not about writing. It's all about God and the gift He's given you. Whether you believe that you're gifted or not is quite another issue.
Was there a time when you were struck by that little voice that declared you were wasting your time on this writer thing? How did you get through that period (or did you)?
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OUT OF THE FRYING PAN Murder in Paradise whips life into a froth for FERN and ZULA HOPKINS. When the retirement center’s
chef is found dead, the two ladies get folded in with the case. Their zany attempts to track down the killer land them in hot water with Detective JARED FLYNN. Should he be concerned about their safety—or the criminal’s?
But there are deadly ingredients none of them expect. Drugs. Extortion. International cartels. And worst of all…broken hearts, especially when the Hopkins sisters’ niece KC arrives on the scene.
Life at Sunset Paradise Retirement Village will never be the same.
Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She resides in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, where she teaches history and writing classes for a local high school co-op. Her latest release is OUT OF THE FRYING PAN, but historical romance is her usual haunt. THE CAPTIVE HEART releases in October. Follow her escapades at www.michellegriep.com or www.writerofftheleash.blogspot.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.
