Overcoming Doubt
Great question for today. Chris wrote and asked, "What have you done, as a writer, to overcome and keep on writing in seasons of doubt and discouragement?"
Okay, much as I hate to reveal this, here's what my head tells me at times:
-Good Lord, you're awful.
-Nobody is EVER going to read this piece of tripe.
-You don't make enough money at this. Why don't you get a real job?
-This isn't working. You should at least check into the openings at Target.
-You're lazy. Your words are turgid. You don't know anything about this.
-Go check your emails again. Maybe find out if there's anything new on ESPN.com.
-You're going to fail! You'll live in a trailer, eat lard, and they'll have to lift your lazy butt out of there with a crane.
All of this comes to me, not with a subtle whisper, but in a screaming rush. Even now.
Um…maybe some of it is true. So I can think of a few things that help me get over it.
1. BIC. That's writer-talk for butt-in-chair. If I'll just sit down and start doing work, it's amazing how things start to get done.
2. My "Sunshine" file. Yeah, it's true. I keep a file of emails people have sent to me that basically say, "You helped me" or "Thanks for being wise." For years I kept a file folder of cards and letters people had sent, just to perk me up. I might be a total putz TODAY, but I can always look back and remember, "Hey…you were BETTER THAN A PUTZ that time!"
3. Friends. Cec and I send each other encouraging notes once in a while. Steve Laube too. Keri Kent. Greg Johnson. My buddies. I occasionally get the nicest messages from Jenny B Jones, or Rachel Hauk will say something nice on my blog. I sometimes call my best friend Mike and he'll remind me that I need to stop stressing and do some actual work now and then. People who understand what it's like to be a writer, or to be in publishing, can be tremendously helpful.
4. The monthly bills. You might think this is odd, but nothing motivates me like having to pay bills. And realizing that, once again, I've somehow stumbled my way through another month, and they're not going to turn off the lights or repossess my computer (though it's a PC, and I'd happily hand it to them). Hey! Another month down and I fooled them again!
5. Exercise. The world is a bright place when I force myself to run.
6. Coffee. 'Nuff said. Try Tully's if you haven't yet.
7. A walk outside. Getting into what GOD made, and not always being surrounded by what MAN made is a wonderful refresher.
8. Asking someone close to you to say something nice. It's an amazing thing, but if Patti says something positive about my work, I seem to have more motivation to get it completed. (I wouldn't suggest you all call my wife and ask her to say something nice, however. This may not work as well for the rest of you.)