Discouraged?

Discouragement is a real thing when you’re a writer.

Writer’s block, rejections, low sales, bad reviews, jokes about getting a “real” job…it all adds up to being discouraged from your choice of becoming a writer.

I speak from the heart when I say that, sometimes, it’s hard to overcome the feeling of “not being good enough”, or of being a failure when several of the things listed above happen at once.

Here’s what to do when you’re feeling discouraged:  Indulge in it.  Lick your wounds, have yourself a pity party, cry a few tears if that’s what you need for release.  After that?

Sit down at your computer and fire up that imagination again.

See, nothing is wrong with those feelings.  They happen with “real” jobs, too (Except for the ‘When you gonna get a real job?’ questions – that’s when you look at the other person and say, ‘How about now?  Get me a shovel – I’ll go dig ya a ditch, and you finish writing this book for me!’).  It’s all in how you deal with the discouragement.

For me, after the pity party, it’s back to writing.

Why?

I don’t have a choice.

Most writers don’t have a choice.  They have to write!  Here’s how I know:

In the last month and a half, I’ve written six short stories, all varying in length.  It seemed that once I opened the floodgate, tons of stuff started pouring out, and there isn’t an end in sight.  And if I don’t get my 500-1000 words written on any given day, I feel like I haven’t accomplished a lot.  And, if I don’t hurry up and get those ideas written, some of the free-floating ideas get caught in that floodgate, and that causes a logjam.  The stories back up, and begin flooding my mind…threatening to overwhelm me.

I gotta write, whether I’m discouraged or not.  Just to keep the flow of ideas coming.

I’m sure you know what I’m talking about…you’ve begun with your writing, correct?  If you haven’t, I might have to pass your name to Justice Security’s mortal enemy…

And, while you’re writing your story,

Keep reading!

Michael (T. M.)