Love Your Writing

FredCharles · Apr 12, 2007

While browsing the forums, I was amazed to see how many writers hate their own work. Some posters have gone far enough to say that they despise their own work.

I think that it's a shame that many writers feel this way. We have feelings of inadequacy. We think that no one will like our stories. We even feel that our writing is something to be embarrassed about.

Writing is not easy. It takes loads of patience, sweat and passion. Most people have trouble composing an email consisting of a single paragraph, let alone a short story or a novel.

Writing is a lonely business. When we are writing, we chastise ourselves for what we create. When we are not writing, we chastise ourselves for being lazy procrastinators.

Don't be so hard on yourself, or on your work. I'm not saying that you shouldn't strive for improvement; we all should. What I am saying is that you should be proud that you try. Most people who fail at writing, never even gave it an honest to goodness try. I can't tell you how many people tell me that they would love to write but they just don't have the time. These same people have 5-10 hours a week to spend watching TV.

If you hate your writing, but feel the drive to keep doing it, then maybe you should take a hard look at what you hate about it.

Is it your story?

Is it your style?

Is it your grammar?

Find the problem and either fix it, or read more about it. Whenever I get down on my writing, I try to figure out what's wrong that's making me so miserable. Sometimes it means trashing a story idea. Other times, it means hitting the books. I'm resigned to the fact that I'm not going to quit, so if I'm stuck being a writer, I might as well love doing.

Remember, even the smallest accomplishment in writing, is something to be proud of.

CheshireCat · Apr 12, 2007

It is a pity so many writers disparage their own work. I know I have plenty of doubts during the process, and I'm never sure when I've finished a book if it's any good (too close to be objective), but invariably, when I look back a year or two later, I feel I've done good work.

The point is, I never think it's garbage, and I never hate the process. I'm frustrated often, sure. But whenever those inevitable times come, I remind myself that I'd have a lot less fun digging ditches or flipping burgers for a living.

Guaranteed to put things in perspective.

blacbird · Apr 12, 2007

CheshireCat said:
The point is, I never think it's garbage, and I never hate the process. I'm frustrated often, sure. But whenever those inevitable times come, I remind myself that I'd have a lot less fun digging ditches or flipping burgers for a living.

By which we can infer that you get your stuff published, for pay, on a regular enough basis that you don't need to dig ditches or flip burgers? I'd guess that helps some with the frustration, and how positively you can judge your work.

caw

Etola · Apr 12, 2007

Writing, to me, is often a painstaking and sometimes frustrating activity. But there is nothing I find ultimately as satisfying as finishing a story.

Sure, there are times it gets difficult, and sometimes I write a story I'm not happy with. But I know people who sit there hating their work, and I've never felt that way. I find that attitude bewildering, and in many ways, counter-productive. (I actually knew a girl who would constantly berate her own writing just to guilt people into reassuring her that it was good, and it got under my skin so badly. She was seriously wallowing in self-loathing just for the attention it brought her. Of course, she never actually bothered to edit her work, because to her, the need to edit was simply proof of her failing as a writer.)

If I'm not happy with something I'm writing, I figure out why and do what I can to fix it--or, if it's currently unfixable in any satisfying way, I back away for a while and focus on another project.

Writing is a joy to me. Even if the process itself is painstaking, getting the story out on paper is such a satisfying feeling that I could never apply the term 'hate' to anything I've written. (In fact, sometimes I wonder if I'm a little *too* proud of some of my stories, because sometimes when I'm feeling down, I can go and read some of my writing and feel better.)

What I wonder is, if you truly "hate" your writing, why are you writing?

ccarver30 · Apr 12, 2007

Etola said:
Writing, to me, is often a painstaking and sometimes frustrating activity. But there is nothing I find ultimately as satisfying as finishing a story.

Sure, there are times it gets difficult, and sometimes I write a story I'm not happy with. But I know people who sit there hating their work, and I've never felt that way. I find that attitude bewildering, and in many ways, counter-productive. (I actually knew a girl who would constantly berate her own writing just to guilt people into reassuring her that it was good, and it got under my skin so badly. She was seriously wallowing in self-loathing just for the attention it brought her. Of course, she never actually bothered to edit her work, because to her, the need to edit was simply proof of her failing as a writer.)

If I'm not happy with something I'm writing, I figure out why and do what I can to fix it--or, if it's currently unfixable in any satisfying way, I back away for a while and focus on another project.

Writing is a joy to me. Even if the process itself is painstaking, getting the story out on paper is such a satisfying feeling that I could never apply the term 'hate' to anything I've written. (In fact, sometimes I wonder if I'm a little *too* proud of some of my stories, because sometimes when I'm feeling down, I can go and read some of my writing and feel better.)

What I wonder is, if you truly "hate" your writing, why are you writing?

I think I love you. :LilLove:

CheshireCat · Apr 12, 2007

blacbird said:
By which we can infer that you get your stuff published, for pay, on a regular enough basis that you don't need to dig ditches or flip burgers? I'd guess that helps some with the frustration, and how positively you can judge your work.

caw

Yeah, I'm one of the lucky ones, since writing novels has earned me my living for a couple of decades now. And I'm sure being published or unpublished also affects how each of us views our work. But I have to say, I know plenty of published writers who fairly often disparage their own work, either because they feel they aren't being true to themselves by "writing for the market," or because they find publishing so frustrating (and it is, believe me; being published doesn't solve your problems, it just changes them), or just because they believe they're stuck in a creative rut.

FredCharles · Apr 12, 2007

CheshireCat said:
But I have to say, I know plenty of published writers who fairly often disparage their own work, either because they feel they aren't being true to themselves by "writing for the market," or because they find publishing so frustrating (and it is, believe me; being published doesn't solve your problems, it just changes them), or just because they believe they're stuck in a creative rut.

I don't feel that being published would really solve any of your problems if you don't like your own work. In fact, it may create more problems for you because you may end up being under much more pressure.

Southern_girl29 · Apr 12, 2007

I can't say that I hate my writing or that I hate writing in general. If I did, I wouldn't be doing it. There are times that I hate that I can't write as well as someone else or that I hate a certain part of it. However, most of what I've written, I like parts of it and usually like it as a whole.

Petroglyph · Apr 12, 2007

I really appreciate this post at this moment of my day. I've been prying words out of my head and sticking them into my WIP, feeling quite discouraged by the process. Today. Now. It is not always like that. And when I do go back and read my stuff I will laugh (in a good way! at stuff that is supposed to be funny!) and feel pleased at how the plot has moved of its own accord. But right now, this moment, I am pretty sure my stuff is crap and will need to be excised accordingly.

Right now I just feel inadequate. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that my critique group is meeting tonight. : )

I need to spend the evening studying my favorite mystery writers, I think.

This too shall pass.

I suppose it is like my last labor. There were moments I thought, "What the $*$& am I doing? Why am I doing this again? How could I have forgotten what this is like? Am I crazy? I can't do this!" and then about 15 minutes later I had my cutie little guy on my belly. Totally worth it. Sometimes the process sucks or is painful, but the outcome is worth the pain and effort.

jnesvold · Apr 12, 2007

I can't say that I hate my writings, but I am overly critical about them. I was the same way in art class in high school. No matter how good a grade I got on a project, I always felt it could be better.

Claudia Gray · Apr 12, 2007

ITA that you need to love your work sometimes. Yeah, you will hate it sometimes -- that's part of appreciating your flaws as a writer, and you have to do that in order to grow. But loving your work is part of appreciating your strengths as a writer, and you have to do that too. You have to know what you're good at and trust that what gives you enjoyment will give someone else enjoyment, too.

(The trick, of course, is to get to the point where you can get a LOT of people to enjoy what you write.)

Aprylwriter · Apr 12, 2007

Sometimes I don't like my work; sometimes I tell myself that I can do better; sometimes I wish I could write like Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Madeline L'Engle, Ernest Hemingway. But at the end of the day, I enjoy writing, even if others do not like it.

Apryl

FredCharles · Apr 12, 2007

midwife said:
I really appreciate this post at this moment of my day. I've been prying words out of my head and sticking them into my WIP, feeling quite discouraged by the process.

When I have days like this, I just stop and move onto some editing...there always seems to be editing that needs to be done, lol.

FredCharles · Apr 12, 2007

jnesvold said:
I can't say that I hate my writings, but I am overly critical about them. I was the same way in art class in high school. No matter how good a grade I got on a project, I always felt it could be better.

Being overly critical is not a bad thing. It forces you to strive for more.

Jamesaritchie · Apr 12, 2007

Love

Well, from the other side of the desk, and as devil's advocate, shouldn't most writers hate their own writing? When you read a slush pile, most of what you find is not only bad, it's unspeakably bad. And most of the rest is, at best, not very good at all.

Isn't part of separating yourself from lousy writing learning to hate your own lousy writing?

I learned long ago not to attempt judging my own writing, but this in no way means I love all of it, or even like it. We all write crap now and again.

FredCharles · Apr 12, 2007

Jamesaritchie said:
Well, from the other side of the desk, and as devil's advocate, shouldn't most writers hate their own writing? When you read a slush pile, most of what you find is not only bad, it's unspeakably bad. And most of the rest is, at best, not very good at all.

Isn't part of separating yourself from lousy writing learning to hate your own lousy writing?

I learned long ago not to attempt judging my own writing, but this in no way means I love all of it, or even like it. We all write crap now and again.

I thought that I covered this in the latter part of my post where I said that the writer should figure out what they hate about their work and strive to improve on it.

CheshireCat · Apr 12, 2007

Jamesaritchie said:
Well, from the other side of the desk, and as devil's advocate, shouldn't most writers hate their own writing? When you read a slush pile, most of what you find is not only bad, it's unspeakably bad. And most of the rest is, at best, not very good at all.

From the above, it looks like you believe a writer should hate all their work. Which would be a depressing state of affairs, if you ask me.

Isn't part of separating yourself from lousy writing learning to hate your own lousy writing?

Of course we all need to be able to see where we've screwed-up, but -- speaking only for myself -- that doesn't mean I hate my writing. Even the bad stuff; I don't hate it, I just want to fix it.

I learned long ago not to attempt judging my own writing, but this in no way means I love all of it, or even like it. We all write crap now and again.

Of course. It's part of the ongoing learning process to write crap -- and learn how to fix it so it isn't crap, or tear it up (delete it) if it's unfixable.

I have a paperweight on my desk with a quote by Michelangelo. "I am still learning."

I believe he was in his 80s when he wrote that, with most of his masterworks behind him.

I keep the paperweight where I see it every day, because despite a couple of decades as a published novelist and quite a body of work to show for it, I learn something new with every book. Which is as it should be.

veinglory · Apr 12, 2007

I think we may be confusing technique with personality here. I hate my writing, but then I hate quinces, thumbtacks, American TV, fitted carpets and the color orange. I was trained to pretend to hate everything I do even when I don't--to avoid looking stuck up. That's just how I am as a person. I went to a writing class where we were told to throw away our inner critic and let our inner child roam free. Me and my critic left the child there to fingerpaint and went home to drink coffee and write.

They only time I like my writing, generally speaking, is when I pick it up and read it years later. Then I have a little 'hey, I *did* that!' warm fuzzy moment

Azure Skye · Apr 12, 2007

I can't say I hate my writing as I'm way too close to judge it objectively. I do know that I've been working on my story so much I'm tired of looking at it. Not the same thing though.

Jamesaritchie · Apr 12, 2007

Hating

FredCharles said:
I thought that I covered this in the latter part of my post where I said that the writer should figure out what they hate about their work and strive to improve on it.

Yeah, but sometimes I think the writer should hate everything about it, and understand that improving it isn't an option.

Jamesaritchie · Apr 12, 2007

CheshireCat said:
From the above, it looks like you believe a writer should hate all their work. Which would be a depressing state of affairs, if you ask me.

Of course we all need to be able to see where we've screwed-up, but -- speaking only for myself -- that doesn't mean I hate my writing. Even the bad stuff; I don't hate it, I just want to fix it.

Of course. It's part of the ongoing learning process to write crap -- and learn how to fix it so it isn't crap, or tear it up (delete it) if it's unfixable.

I have a paperweight on my desk with a quote by Michelangelo. "I am still learning."

I believe he was in his 80s when he wrote that, with most of his masterworks behind him.

I keep the paperweight where I see it every day, because despite a couple of decades as a published novelist and quite a body of work to show for it, I learn something new with every book. Which is as it should be.

I think that, sometimes, a writer should hate all his work. Definitely depressing, but sometimes real life is depressing. Unfortunately, we aren't all Michelangelos, and no matter how much or how long we learn, we never reach the state of producing anything good, let alone a Sistine Chapel.

But I do see your point, and I am just playing devil's advocate here.

I learn something new with each novel, as well. The main thing I seem to learn is how far I still have to go to get where I'd like to be. There are those who think experience mans it gets easier and easier to write novels. I find the opposite to be true. Each novel is harder than the last because I desperately want each novel to be better than the last.

I suspect it gets easier only if you're writing the same novel over and over.

Claudia Gray · Apr 12, 2007

The editor at the other end isn't looking for stuff to hate and turn down -- plenty of that to go around. The editor at the other end is looking for something to love and buy. Shouldn't we, as writers, train ourselves to know what that might and, if possible, see it in ourselves?

If you don't love something about your work, nobody else ever will.

Namatu · Apr 12, 2007

There are times when I read my work and hate it, think its the worst stuff in creation. Thankfully it doesn't happen that often. Usually I can read my work, see the flaws, but also see the things that I do well and even enjoy it as a reader. If I couldn't see those things, I wouldn't have much impetus to keep doing it.

FredCharles · Apr 12, 2007

Jamesaritchie said:
Yeah, but sometimes I think the writer should hate everything about it, and understand that improving it isn't an option.

I agree. Not every piece of fiction can be saved. I have my own private pile of crap that will never see the light of day. I keep that stuff around because even thought it's not good, I still learned something by writing it.

FredCharles · Apr 12, 2007

ClaudiaGray said:
If you don't love something about your work, nobody else ever will.

So true. I think that believing in yourself and your work is vital to getting your stories published.

Love Your Writing

FredCharles

CheshireCat

Mostly purring. Mostly.

blacbird

Etola

Still looking for stars...

ccarver30

Nicole Castro

CheshireCat

Mostly purring. Mostly.

FredCharles

Southern_girl29

Petroglyph

gestating a plot

jnesvold

Claudia Gray

Aprylwriter

i am dragon. roar.

FredCharles

FredCharles

Jamesaritchie

FredCharles

CheshireCat

Mostly purring. Mostly.

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Azure Skye

Huh?

Jamesaritchie

Jamesaritchie

Claudia Gray

Namatu

Lost in mental space.

FredCharles

FredCharles