Do others???

E.M.Sterling · Dec 5, 2007

Go through an "I suck" moment. I mean, you know you don't really suck. You know from all the books you have read (books that have done well) you're ideas and style are pretty good. Not perfect, but definately not in the "I suck" catagory.
I find myself doing this a lot especially on a long piece and usually when I'm on that 5th rewrite or more and wanting to stab myself in the eye with a pencil.
Sometimes I find myself obsessing about a particular scene and read it over and over and over until I just can't stand it any more...
Does anyone else worry a manuscript like this? Or do I need to go on meds?

Salem · Dec 5, 2007

I haven't gone through that with my manuscript yet, but the query I'm working on is a different story! I suck horribly at queries and I am reminded by this every day as I write crappy query after crappy query...

KTC · Dec 5, 2007

I go through 'I suck' moments every single day. I can't pick up/open one of my manuscripts without screaming, "I suck!" I think this if fairly common. If not, I'm probably in trouble.

Stew21 · Dec 5, 2007

Very common. very normal.

Williebee · Dec 5, 2007

Sure. I think everybody does, regardless of their hobby or walk of life.

Maybe it is more intensified for us, or maybe it is easier for us to obsess about. Probably.
After all, isn't what we do "all in our head" anyway?

Call it bio-rhythms. Call it dietary. Call it just part of the process.

Give it a name and send it off in a box where it belongs.

Then get your butt back to work. It's the only way I've found to beat it.

Pat~ · Dec 5, 2007

I don't have I suck moments. I have I suck periods. Because there are times when I'm just not a 'writer'...I'm unoriginal, stuck, and my own prose puts me to sleep.

So, yeah, you're normal. Whatever that is.

narnia · Dec 5, 2007

I sit down in front of my laptop and whip off pages of pages of greatness on a daily basis (okay, not really daily, but I try), usually at night. Then I read what I wrote the next day and wail, "I suck!".

So yeah. I go way beyond moments, though. It's pretty much a regular occurrence accompanied by 'there's no way anyone will ever pay for this crap, what am I thinking????'

Followed of course by the time honored ritual of stabbing myself in the eye with a pencil.

:Sun:

joyce · Dec 5, 2007

narnia said:
I sit down in front of my laptop and whip off pages of pages of greatness on a daily basis (okay, not really daily, but I try), usually at night. Then I read what I wrote the next day and wail, "I suck!".

So yeah. I go way beyond moments, though. It's pretty much a regular occurrence accompanied by 'there's no way anyone will ever pay for this crap, what am I thinking????'

Followed of course by the time honored ritual of stabbing myself in the eye with a pencil.

I do the same thing. I envy the person who writes and has the confidence to say "this is damn good".

MidnightMuse · Dec 5, 2007

If you never have an "I suck" moment - if you truly and honestly believe that every word you write is golden, that every plot twist is precious metal, and every line of dialogue pure poetry - you're an idiot.

underthecity · Dec 5, 2007

When I get the "I suck" moments, I might open one of my published books and read some of it and realize that what's published doesn't suck much at all.

OTOH, during my revision process, I'll be working on a chapter that needs heavy revision, all the while thinking "this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks."

Then, when the chapter is finished, I'll reread it a last time before moving on to the next and realize that it doesn't suck anymore.

allen

aka eraser · Dec 5, 2007

If you keep writing - I mean for years and years - and you begin to sell some, or (hallelujah!) a lot of it - those moments will become a distant memory. Just as with any skill set, occupation, profession or avocation - the more you work at it, the more you improve.

As that improvement is rewarded, your confidence grows. Soon, you'll no longer be hamstrung by self-doubt.

Which is good because there's lots of other pitfalls out there to trip you up.

sunna · Dec 5, 2007

Oh my yes. It didn't happen until I finished my first novel and ripped it to whimpering shreds over the course of 7 drafts; scenes I thought were brilliant were trite and painfully purple, dialogue that was witty and beautiful only the day before turned out to be flat and full of adverb-infested tags.

Once I started really seeing where I could improve, it seemed like everything needed improvement. Or cutting. Or to be staked through the heart, beheaded, burned to ashes, and scattered over a fast-moving river.

Storyteller5 · Dec 5, 2007

sunna7kore said:
Once I started really seeing where I could improve, it seemed like everything needed improvement. Or cutting. Or to be staked through the heart, beheaded, burned to ashes, and scattered over a fast-moving river.

I love this description. I can so relate. Can I polish and fix this piece enough to make it worth submitting? That's one I struggle with too.

RLB · Dec 5, 2007

E.M.Sterling said:
Go through an "I suck" moment.

All the time. Except for when I first began writing and thought every word was golden.

Sassee · Dec 5, 2007

E.M.Sterling said:
Go through an "I suck" moment. I mean, you know you don't really suck. You know from all the books you have read (books that have done well) you're ideas and style are pretty good. Not perfect, but definately not in the "I suck" catagory.
I find myself doing this a lot especially on a long piece and usually when I'm on that 5th rewrite or more and wanting to stab myself in the eye with a pencil.
Sometimes I find myself obsessing about a particular scene and read it over and over and over until I just can't stand it any more...
Does anyone else worry a manuscript like this? Or do I need to go on meds?

"I suck" thoughts - check
want to stab self in eye with pencil during revisions - check
obsessing over a particular piece of prose - check
meds? - not yet

Shadow_Ferret · Dec 5, 2007

KTC said:
I go through 'I suck' moments every single day. I can't pick up/open one of my manuscripts without screaming, "I suck!" I think this if fairly common. If not, I'm probably in trouble.

I also go through this every day, at least once. Moments of self-doubt.

Except I at least have no typos.

Zelenka · Dec 5, 2007

I never have 'I suck' moments.

Ok, so maybe a few...

Judg · Dec 5, 2007

Yup. Far too often. Usually when I reread any part of my first draft. Somewhat less often I think I've got a really cool story going on. Much less often, I reread part of my first draft and actually enjoy it.

I'm beginning to think that manic depression is brought on by writing...

virtue_summer · Dec 5, 2007

I have those moments, usually when I'm trying too hard to force a story along and get mad at myself because none of my ideas seem original or interesting enough. The other time I get them is when I'm reading a really great book and I go into despair because, no matter how good I get, I start to think I'll never be as good as (insert wonderful author here).

L M Ashton · Dec 6, 2007

I am so glad I'm not alone...

Okay, I didn't think I was, but it's so nice to hear so many other people go through it, too, ya know?

Otherwise, if it was just me, then I guess I'd really really really suck. And that would suck.

willietheshakes · Dec 6, 2007

Just on the days that end with 'y'.

Oh, and most nights, too.

seun · Dec 6, 2007

Yep, I have been known to suck. But I keep writing, anyway.

Azure Skye · Dec 6, 2007

sunna7kore said:
Once I started really seeing where I could improve, it seemed like everything needed improvement. Or cutting. Or to be staked through the heart, beheaded, burned to ashes, and scattered over a fast-moving river.

Yep. No matter how many times I go through my ms I still see things that can be improved. *sigh*

So, yes, I have those "I suck" moments all the time, everyday, in fact. Once in a great while I'll have an "that's not so bad" moment. It quickly passes.

L M Ashton · Dec 6, 2007

We are such a depressing crowd.

JAG4584 · Dec 6, 2007

I think having these moments indicate that we are human...

Do others???

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