Saturday 10 April 2010

Part I: Insecurity. Inconvenient, isn't it?



A writer's inspiration can sometimes induce instinctive insecurities. How inconvenient, indeed. But what is insecurity exactly? Is it really how the dictionary illustrates it? Intimidating? Afraid? Ill equipped for intrepidity? My insecurity stems from many issues - but it doesn't mean I can't incidentally be intrepid too.

The impression I get, is that each individual gets intermittently insecure for inconstant reasons, but in my case, I feel insecure about my writing first and foremost. But that does not mean I think my writing is inferior. If I didn't love my imaginative written inventions, I would have given up immediately and pursued my idiotic idea of being a rock star despite suffering from insurmountable stage fright.

So what exactly is it about my writing that I feel insecure about? I'm insecure about whether other people will like it as much as I do. Fear of other people not identifying with my imagination. Unfortunately, a writers career depends on other inhabitants of this intimidating publishing world - but it should not mean that we should let other's impose on our indomitability, our independent imagination.

If we relied on each individual opinion we received, we would start writing for other people only, rather than for ourselves. And then we wouldn't love writing anymore. And as much as you try to fight it, to influence yourself to write for other people in order for your book to sell, it's not going to invert the fact, that if you do not find a way to write for yourself too, your book will lack passion and will still not sell. It is our love and the passion and intensity that oozes from those pages that makes our readers insist on reading it through the late hours of the night.

So please. Kick your insecurities in the butt. Write what you love, and I candidly believe, that one day, someone will pick up your manuscript, and see exactly what you see in it. And then it's just the beginning. ...

22 comments:

  1. "If we relied on each individual opinion we received, we would start writing for other people only, rather than for ourselves. And then we wouldn't love writing anymore."

    You nailed that one. The entire post was well written and hits home.

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  2. Ah, I constantly hope for that day to come swiftly.

    Excellent I post!

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  3. Re-reading, again and again:)

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  4. I really like that last paragraph. I'll have to post it next to my computer. Good words to remember ;-)

    ~JD

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  5. Thank you for this post hunny. I am having the same feeling. I am so worried my friends won't like my work, I am still in the writing closet! (with them anyhow) I know I just have to suck it up and let the words fly!

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  6. Thanks for the post, most interesting how you feel and why.
    As you say writing is for yourself,it's who you are not what others want you to be.

    Have a lovely week-end.
    Yvonne.

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  7. I'm doing good to write a blog! Can't imagine tackling a manuscript! :)

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  8. Nice, heartfelt "I" post!

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  9. First off I tried to count all the "I" words but I lost count because there were soo many...I bet you could make a ton of money writing SEO articles for the web. So far, This is my fave post of yours...Gave me the shivers it was so good!!I totally agree and it's hard to overide the insecurities we face as writers but we have to remain true to ourselves. Awesomeness!

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  10. This is wonderful. I'm so impressed with you :o))

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  11. Loved the post. You're always so entertaining and I'm amazed at how you manage to do all the alliterations. Great advice today. I was feeling a bit dinged by my critique group.

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  12. Dee: Thank you once again. You are always comlimenting me! You make me feel warm and fuzzy inside ...

    Caledonia: Thanks! I hope so too.

    Candyland: LOL So what is it that you don't understand exactly? ;)

    Justine: Now that's an awesome compliment. Thanks!

    Sugar: One day you'll realise that what other people think doesn't matter. Your first priority is to be happy yourself - then it will be contagious :)

    Yvonne: Exactly.

    Beth: LOL Keep up the good blogging! And most of all - enjoy doing it.

    Lisa: Thank you.

    Slutface: Thanks. You're gonna laugh now, but what are SEO articles? *blush*

    Niki: Thanks a million :)

    Raquel: Glad I could make you feel better! :)

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  13. Very inspiring post about individual inconsistant idiotic insecurities. Your alliteration astounds me and I am from this moment forth, a fan and follower. Good Stuff!

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  14. Great post. I am loving your A-Z challenge! You're coming up with some really good stuff.

    For me, the insecurity is not so much about the writing. It's about the fact that the writing is part of me, and I'm putting that part of me out into the world for scrutiny. Scary stuff.

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  15. Interesting insights. I agree that one should write for the love of writing.

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  16. Very good post and very clever!

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  17. I've always heard, 'write for yourself', but that's when my insecurity comes in. What if no one else likes what I like? I guess we all have to take that chance. Great post. You really went with the I theme too. lol. Love it.

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  18. Nice! I loved it! It's true what you say about insecurity... I think that many of us deal with the same thing... who doesn't want to write something that people like? We can't worry though what people think... although we appreciate the feedback... you have to write what's on your mind and heart to be true to your self. I am really enjoying your alliterative posts... Great job once again! :-)

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  19. I'll see your "I" and raise you a "J".

    ...Or, you know, we could lose our insecurity by just putting the pen and paper away (shutting off the computer) and going for a bike ride.

    Yeah, that's the ticket!

    ~ "Lonesome Dogg" McStephen

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  20. Wow. You really are right about writing for one's self rather than others.

    It's very amusing that you can manage to get so many "I" words in there. What the heck are we all going to do when we get to X?

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  21. The way I look at what I write is that if I really like it, there must be some other people in the world that will like it too. I can't be that totally weird and off the wall-- there's got to be more like me. That's my audience I hope.
    Lee
    Blogging From A to Z April Challenge

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  22. If I wrote like you did (re- short story you posted after this), I would not have any insecurities.

    ~ Rayna

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