Sometimes you read a book. It hooks you from the first sentence, and just keeps on getting better. It makes you laugh. It makes you cry. It inspires you to do better, or be better. When you reach the final page, you feel like you’ve lost the best friend you ever had. Then you open your own manuscript, and find that suddenly, from nowhere, an ominous lead ball has miraculously appeared in your gut. You could never write like the author who penned the fabulous book that you’ve just finished reading. In fact, your writing sucks. Big time. And there it is. You can’t write at all anymore. Every sentence is fiddled with. Or worse, deleted. And the next few weeks are spent trying to write just as beautifully as the magical creator of that perfect book that you can’t get out of your mind. But it’s no good. You can’t. At this point quite a few writers give up entirely, their story left to be forgotten—never to see the light of a reader’s smile.
The thing is though, that the author of that magical book probably felt exactly as you did at some point. We all feel that way sometimes. We forget that each and every writer has their very own kind of magic, but I don’t know any writers who can see that wonderful stuff. Their own magic. Writers are by their very nature sensitive. Without natural empathy, wisdom, people-savvy, and a whole lot of general knowledge, they wouldn’t be able to ply their trade very well. Sensitivity tends to go hand in hand with self-criticism a lot of the time too, so we are fabulously capable of metaphorically beating the daylights out of ourselves, without any outside help at all. Unfortunately there is quite a lot of outside help around for any scribbler looking (or even not looking) to be criticised, so we should try really hard not to do it to ourselves. Remember that Stephen King tossed Carrie into the bin, convinced that it was absolute rubbish. If his wife hadn’t fished it out—who knows where he would be today.
Don’t ever let anything stop you from writing until you’re finished. And when you’re finished don’t let anything stop you from getting published, if that is your dream. That’s when you find out whether your book is good or not—only then. And even then, you don’t know the people who will buy your book. You’ll never see the smile on their lips, or hear them laugh loudly at some little sentence that you thought was quite silly, after reading that magic book you found. But that’s alright. We don’t need to know about the readers we may have inspired, or comforted, or irritated for that matter. We just do what we must, and write on.
Reblogged this on Jo Robinson.
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Well said, Jo.
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Thank you Sarah 🙂
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Reblogged this on Shining Seeds and commented:
I want to say Amen to this. 🙂 Jo with some very wise words of writers inspiration.
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Thank you Sarina 🙂
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🙂
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So true, and reassuring too.
Thank you, Jo, for an important post.
Hope you’re doing well.
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Thank you Cynthia. I’m getting used to it all now, and actually doing better than I thought I would be. I hope all is well and peaceful in your beautiful world. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Jo Robinson is writing for Lit World Interviews today on the subject of writer insecurity. I am sure that many of you with empathise with the subject matter. Will I ever write a book that will be considered exceptional and one of the best books ever written? I don’t know but I do know that I have to keep practising and learning my craft and who knows… one day. And we are lucky to be doing something we love…..
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Thank you Sally! It’s so true – we really are lucky to be doing something we love. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
Wise Words of encouragement from Author Jo Robinson 👍😃
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Thank you Chris! 😀
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Welcome Jo 😀 XXX
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Definitely sound advice. 🙂
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Thank you Marje 🙂
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Don’t you hate when that happens, when you read something amazing and think, “I should quit, there is no way I’ll ever be as good as that author.”
Good to know, I’m not the only one who has those days. Thanks 🙂
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You’re definitely not alone! Happens to me all the time. 🙂
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Sigh.
Thought-provoking post, Jo. Thanks.
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Thanks to you dear Tess 🙂
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Reblogged this on Kim's Author Support Blog.
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Thank you Kim 🙂
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My pleasure, Jo!
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so very great introspection! and that applies for every little thing we do!
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You’re right! I often think that the art of being a writer means living life’s issues, only with magnification ten. 🙂
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Such a brilliant perspective. Thanks, Jo. 💘
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Thanks to you! 🙂
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Reblogged this on Readers' Junction and commented:
This article has some great ideas about how we perceive our own writing com-pared to other authors.
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Thank you Sahara 🙂
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Very encouraging.
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Thank you Beth 🙂
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Oh yes! Think that all the time. It must be true, I’m not selling heaps of books like everyone else, so I must be writing shite. 😁 Actually, it’s just that I haven’t been discovered yet. Lol! Hope it happens while I’m still on this side, unlike Mr Tolkien. Wonder what he’d think now…
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LOL! You’ll be discovered for sure Ali, and hopefully sooner rather than later. Imagine all the fame after death scribblers leaning on that counter in heaven now – looks like some will have something to whinge about for eternity. LOLOL! 😀
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Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
Some great advice to writers from Jo.
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Thank you Patricia 🙂
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“Write On” I think that is why I am on and am here in the Blog world.
I sufficiently agree to all your points. But when you publish the written stuff as a book, you never know the reactions of the reader, its maybe you get some stats about it by its sales proceedings.
Whereas in our Blogs you get to know the reactions and responses from our dear readers as soon as we publish a post, this is something incredible which I am happy and am enjoying.
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Very true Shiva. There is nothing more terrifying that waiting for your first review of your first book. Blogging is a fabulous way to share your writing. 🙂
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Wonderful encouragement! We can’t all be a Hemingway, but if as a writer you can bring enjoyment to even a small number of people, you are successful.
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Thank you Noelle. You’re right. I’ve actually read some books that were definitely not strong in the grammar department, but still beautiful and inspiring anyway. 🙂
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I often feel the same way then remind myself I’m writing it for me so doesn’t matter if it a pile of donkeys kidneys.
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True! I’m sure your writing is not donkey kidneys though. 😀 Just coming up with that phrase is pretty epic.
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Thanks
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Yes, so TRUE!
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Well said and so true.
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Reblogged this on Notes from An Alien and commented:
Great re-blog today about feeling like your writing could Never be improved…
from the post: “Remember that Stephen King tossed Carrie into the bin, convinced that it was absolute rubbish. If his wife hadn’t fished it out—who knows where he would be today.”
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The danger is we might try to change our style to copy a great writer. We must find our own voice and hope someone enjoys it.
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