tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post1129089969055026189..comments2023-10-30T05:46:59.343-04:00Comments on The Doubting Writer: Feel Good Friday, a Pseudo-Blog HopJeffOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07947660745120963286noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-56736754526870561822012-06-05T17:09:19.476-04:002012-06-05T17:09:19.476-04:00One person told me once, that being genuine is my ...One person told me once, that being genuine is my strong side in writing. That person is Finnish. Then someone else said the 'inciting incident' was good. The person who said that was English. I guess those are my good sides. But what do I have to develop? Oh boy, oh boy...I can't even list them all, but POV is one of them, and then the passivity. Passive style, as those say, who have given me feedback in English.MysteryKnitterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18271259517378263976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-82680651712309551872011-12-18T08:52:03.581-05:002011-12-18T08:52:03.581-05:00I'm nodding my head as I read your post, Jeff....I'm nodding my head as I read your post, Jeff. <br /><br />I think the self-doubt is just part of the nature of the creative beast. When your product is such an intimate part of yourself...it is hard not to feel thin and vulnerable. <br /><br />I'm trying to come up with something positive to say about myself as a writer, trying to rise to the challenge. <br /><br />Ooh, this is difficult. I think I'm very competent with language and story telling. My skills need to be developed, to be sure, but I think I have a basic innate skill. Whew. That felt weird. Must walk away from keyboard, now.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978176432357891953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-78251663669975411982011-12-17T21:31:27.131-05:002011-12-17T21:31:27.131-05:00No, I'm sorry but you're not very good at ...No, I'm sorry but you're not very good at description. You're fantastically, blow-me-away talented at writing description. Seriously, I can't understand why you doubt yourself as a writer. You honestly have mad, mad skills & I am seriously jealous & envious of you. Not to mention, humbled to my knees. No, make that prostrate flat on my belly. You're that good. You really are. <br /><br />As for me, well, I think I'm good at emotion & tension & okay at dialogue. But I hope to learn a lot from you.Nancy Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05735642863696266005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-21535603129778217472011-12-16T20:21:49.003-05:002011-12-16T20:21:49.003-05:00This post made me smile. I can definitely relate t...This post made me smile. I can definitely relate to your struggles with the Doubting Writer, but I think you're right, and it is important to remember what we're good at. So I'll take a deep breath and say that I'm good at understanding and working with my characters' motivations.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-46679025112434735312011-12-16T16:30:48.731-05:002011-12-16T16:30:48.731-05:00"There’s a lot you stop seeing when you’ve be...<i>"There’s a lot you stop seeing when you’ve been living with a story for nearly a year."</i> Too true, my friend. Too true...<br /><br />As for your question, I've been sitting here for three minutes, squinting at my screen, trying to take a mental inventory. (My mind is locked on things I need to improve. It's hard to shift gears!) Hmm, I think a few of my critters have enjoyed my MC's voice, so let's go with that. :)<br /><br />Great post!Carrie Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01540590799406170410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-48563752682583174212011-12-16T12:53:29.920-05:002011-12-16T12:53:29.920-05:00Ah, those pages when there is nothing used to haun...Ah, those pages when there is nothing used to haunt me...until I realized I do this too when I critique and only when I'm so into the story, I forgot I was critiquing it, lol. So whenever a few pages go by, I try to insert a comment saying 'Oh sorry I haven't said anything, but I just can't stop reading!!!' Hopefully, the doubting writer won't doubt much longer.<br /><br />And I wrote an entire post like a few weeks ago on being proud of your writing. And I listed a whole bunch of stuff there that was so hard to get out! Ack! Why do we have such a hard time talking about things we do well?<br /><br />But I will say *gulp, okay here I go* I think I'm really good at making people laugh. Whether intentional or not, people tell me my stories are funny and the mc's voice sounds so real. Gotta say I would not think this way if I wasn't told this about myself. I really think I'm more annoying than funny.<br /><br />Oh no! I'm back tracking! Better stop now before my self doubt wins!Cassie Maehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17706774393186819619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-32151307248118718032011-12-16T12:35:21.059-05:002011-12-16T12:35:21.059-05:00I hear the gritty comment a lot from my writing gr...I hear the gritty comment a lot from my writing group, Lisa. I like it. And thank you for the kind words. It occurred to me as I was writing this post that it might look like a big fishing expedition, which it most definitely was not! I'm looking forward to reading more of your work than the snippets I've seen on your blog.<br /><br />Donna, teachable is a tremendous strength. It combines the willingness to learn with self-awareness. That's a great attribute. Funny on the name Lyn. I know it can do double-duty, but I would always assume female first.<br /><br />Amanda -- Doesn't it feel good? A little embarrassing to say it, yes, but good to do once in a while.JeffOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07947660745120963286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-49231986334587313392011-12-16T11:50:29.445-05:002011-12-16T11:50:29.445-05:00Ah, what a challenging post. I definitely have a h...Ah, what a challenging post. I definitely have a hard time complimenting myself, especially with writing. I feel I have SO much to learn, and so much to improve on. But, I have been told that the worlds I create are...uh...creative? I guess I'm good at world building. :)Amanda Olivierihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17893676136045249980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-90865215624945931412011-12-16T10:52:58.734-05:002011-12-16T10:52:58.734-05:00I hope my greatest strength is that I'm teacha...I hope my greatest strength is that I'm teachable. I'm not so sure of myself that I think I know it all (SO far from the truth). And other viewpoints are so valuable.<br /><br />When I first submitted the beginning chapters of the book you read the query for, I didn't realized I didn't make it clear that Lyn was a girl. Because she's athletic, two different readers wondered early on if she was a guy, a gay guy. I had to clear that up.Donna K. Weaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15763832177263927311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8281000668036619727.post-83831700999058075902011-12-16T10:00:23.370-05:002011-12-16T10:00:23.370-05:00What a great post and thanks for the shout out. Y...What a great post and thanks for the shout out. Yeah, I HATED that question on job interviews. It is hard to pat yourself on the back, especially as a writer. For me, I always, always feel like I have the need to improve. I may do a post on this in the future on my on blog but for now, I'll say that it was actually really hard for me to think of something. LOL. Well I can say this: I've always been told my writing is clean which I take as a compliment and also--and I love this one--I've been told in the past that my work is gritty. So I'll say those are my strengths. (I know, I know, I'm probably supposed to say, "I'm awesome at such-and-such." It's just not coming to me.)<br /><br />I'll say this for you though--you are absolutely dead-on that you create great imagery! You are really awesome at that. Also, I think you're really great at creating camaraderie amongst your characters on the page which is incredibly hard to do. Most writers try and it just comes off feeling stiff and awkward but with your characters I felt like I was right there and "in" on their inside jokes. Also I think you're fabulous at making important moments in your book FEEL impactful to the reader. You do a fabulous job of building up the characters and inner conflict so that moments that might be small from the outside but are huge for the characters feel huge to the reader too. <br /><br />Stop doubting so much! You have mad, crazy talent!Lisa Reganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12899014095250160853noreply@blogger.com