Today I'm going to talk about Confidence.
Yes, that's Confidence with a big 'C'. It's that important. I believe that confidence is crucial in all areas of life--have you ever noticed what a difference it makes in how people react to you when you're positive? When you're down and saggy, people are less likely to want to talk to you, to want to help you. When you're self-assured, when you walk quickly with your head up, you invite smiles. Really. Try it.
Ever notice that it's the same way with your book? If you go to the story thinking "Gawd, I SUCK at this, I don't even know how I'm going to dredge up 500 words today, I am never going to get this book done"--do you think you will? Do you think your story and your characters will pump you up on their own, help you along? Probably not. You need to bring confidence to the page, however the heck you can come up with it. You need to KNOW that you can do this, that it's not stupid. It's not a waste of effort. You need to keep trying, and with practice it will happen. You might not get published, but your writing will improve. You will create story moments that shine. You will make yourself cry.
The scary thing for me, that I'm just finding out, is that those moments of low confidence never disappear. I always thought, like most newbie writers, that once you finished the book, you'd be over the hump. You'd be sure of yourself. You'd done it! Nope. Okay, I thought, once you get an AGENT. Nope. Once you get an editor? Nope. Once your book is on the shelf?
Apparently there will always be those moments of doubt, no matter where you are in the process. I'm not looking forward to that. But I know that if I'm going to succeed, I'm going to have to overcome those moments, and approach my work with confidence, each and every time.
Medieval Word of the Day: pismire: an ant.
11 comments:
Aw, Susan -- I guess writing is a lot like life. It just keeps mutating on you. You never really get it under control, you just develop better coping skills. Look at Sophie. She doesn't worry about confidence right now, she just takes it day by day and dives right it. You 'just' need to do the same.
And so do I. {g}
Thanks, Susan. Now you have that song going through my head. *g*
Kathy
Good comments, Suze. All true, BTW.
But like I was saying to you the other day, it's easy for me to manufacture confidence out of thin air when it comes to nearly every other area of my life, except writing.
And I don't know how to manufacture confidence on that front. Maybe I'm just stuck in a pismire.
Daryl
P.S.
Vic, is that your gorgeous author photo? Nice!
D
Vic:
Yes, mutating is a good word. But I will keep at it; I always do.
(and unfortunately Sophie worries already. Yes, I passed on the worry gene)
S.
Kathy:
You are so welcome! (I have confidence in raaaaain...)
S.
D:
Isn't pismire a great word?
You'll note I did not tell you HOW to manufacture confidence. I just helpfully told you that you had to have it. {eg}
S.
Susan,
Good, good blog entry. And so true.
--Rose
Thanks, Rose! I actually feel better when I'm confident...
(sitting up straighter right now)
S.
Oh, and I love pismire. I wonder if that's where the term pissant comes from or piss ant. {?}
--Rose
Rose:
Yup, piss-ant comes from pismire. Cool, eh?
S.
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