I ran across this post from WriteToDone a couple of days ago, and it caught me off guard. In a nutshell, it talks about how to not be intimidated by other writers. Nelu Mbingu, the post's author, makes laudable points in trying to get folks over being intimidated, but the entire post brought me to one simple question - is this really a problem?
Maybe I'm naïve. Maybe I'm an arrogant asshole. However, I have trouble wrapping my mind around being intimidated by anyone, especially in a field I enjoy. Do we not publish because we feel we can tell a story better than someone else? And if we need to get better at telling that story, don't we just do it instead of brooding on it?
But maybe this is a bigger issue for most than it is for me. In my personal interactions with other writers - I mean real writers, not the folks who keep saying they're going to write a novel but never actually do it - I've found that so many have egos of crystal, as if a single harsh word about the work or artist will shatter their view of themselves. So many spend so much time trying to impress others that I wonder if there's any time left to actually...you know...write.
Yes, many of us feel insecure. After all, we're putting our work out there for everyone to see. However, feeling intimidated? Why would we ever allow our own insecurities to make us feel that others are better than we are? True, we can always improve, but so can that person you feel may be so much better. I think we all need to take a deep breath and realize that everyone else has the same insecurity we do.
I'm not saying to tout ourselves as the Next Great Thing. Humility can always serve us well. That doesn't mean we should ever believe our writing doesn't measure up to someone else's. Be proud of what you've written, and be confident in the way you wrote it. If someone doesn't like it, figure out why and move on. That's part of getting better. But never - never - let yourself feel inferior to another writer. We're all in this together, and simply putting our work out there for others is an act of courage.
Maybe I'm naïve. Maybe I'm an arrogant asshole. However, I have trouble wrapping my mind around being intimidated by anyone, especially in a field I enjoy. Do we not publish because we feel we can tell a story better than someone else? And if we need to get better at telling that story, don't we just do it instead of brooding on it?
But maybe this is a bigger issue for most than it is for me. In my personal interactions with other writers - I mean real writers, not the folks who keep saying they're going to write a novel but never actually do it - I've found that so many have egos of crystal, as if a single harsh word about the work or artist will shatter their view of themselves. So many spend so much time trying to impress others that I wonder if there's any time left to actually...you know...write.
Yes, many of us feel insecure. After all, we're putting our work out there for everyone to see. However, feeling intimidated? Why would we ever allow our own insecurities to make us feel that others are better than we are? True, we can always improve, but so can that person you feel may be so much better. I think we all need to take a deep breath and realize that everyone else has the same insecurity we do.
I'm not saying to tout ourselves as the Next Great Thing. Humility can always serve us well. That doesn't mean we should ever believe our writing doesn't measure up to someone else's. Be proud of what you've written, and be confident in the way you wrote it. If someone doesn't like it, figure out why and move on. That's part of getting better. But never - never - let yourself feel inferior to another writer. We're all in this together, and simply putting our work out there for others is an act of courage.
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