The problem with writers as your primary sources of criticism is that writers hate you more for being good, not less, because their ego is involved.
Therefore, the first is to internalize what makes good words, praises, paragraphs, and sentences. I see a lot of misinformation about this because, let's face it, the person who was a bad writer will continue to pump out pieces of bad writing and "say it's good I tell you it's good honestly, I believe it because I'm demented!"
Scribblers do not make progress because they don't make progress on good writing.
Some days, you will write lots of words and some days, you will concentrate on a single comma that is out of place. The key is to internalize what is good and continue to work on it until it is absolutely correct. Many famous writers have put in a single comma in the morning and removed it in the afternoon because you must be sensitive to the flow of the sentence.
I'm not telling you anything that isn't already out there in really good works of literature.
Whatever you need to do, the core is to write and rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. The problem with scribblers is they write and they write and they write and they write - and make no progress because it is the rewriting that is essential. This means you need to put the pen down and actually read what you wrote. This is a more difficult proposition than one thinks.
Well, in that case, old man, I like it too. Your flash fiction is NOT throw-away fiction. It is well-conceived, clever, compelling, thought-provoking. Whenever you doubt it, just tell yourself, "Sharron at 🌿LEAVES said I am a brilliant writer." It is enough. Right?
This is very honest, and honestly very relatable. And thank you for sharing my piece, too: the blank page can be a tyrant, but it loses more often than it wins.
For what it’s worth (and from the biased perspective of someone who has also done more *writing about writing* than *fiction writing* of late) your newsletters and notes are all still writing: they take time, craft, talent. Sure, they don’t have the same prestige as a weighty literary tome, but they still have value. Writing anything is hard, yet you’re (we’re) managing it. Something to take pride in, there.
That’s a very encouraging reminder, Ed, thank you … I guess the gather-em-ups are a good celebration of other people’s words but a good training ground for my own (as long as they don’t stay as a hiding place for the words I also need to be writing). Saying this stuff out loud is a necessary nudge to me. Thanks for understanding
Just write. Bash out a thousand words a day. Get used to the process. There’ll be stuff in there and it’ll be yours, no-one else’s. But don’t use that yellow typewriter you posted ⬆️ it’s got four letters missing.
You appear to be showing all the signs of being a writer Barrie! As many say, the job is really rewriting...crafting...and to do that you have to get rubbish on paper and make it good, so even the bad days can (in the end) give you something that turned into something good. The self doubts are unlikely to go away - do it despite them , because you know what a life without writing looks like and it's a bit too boring
‘All the signs’ includes well-honed self doubt and a propensity to do a variety of things other than write - including, today, preparing a wee mezze for JoJo who returns home after a week in Ireland. Allowable distraction. Thank you for always finding the right words.
RELATABLE. Especially the sentiment that if I actually write it, it won't be as good as I imagine it could be/want it to be, and other people might think it's bad, and distractions distractions distractions. Nice to relate though, as I distract myself.
Thank you … it’s good not to be alone! The whole “a writer is someone who finds writing harder than other people” thing! I’ve been very distracted today but preparing a return home supper for JoJo is a decent excuse. Tomorrow, just write!
YES. You surely are a writer. Ever since I discovered your newsletter, then began following you on here (as your writing expanded), I have admired the smoothness and finesse in the words you continually offer up, wishing I could produce the same. You might not have committed to ‘the one’ yet, or to a routine as such for getting ‘the one’ out in the world, but you will…because of the very stuff you’ve talked about in this post. I’m grateful for what you given us readers in this post because I’m falling so far short in my own attempts that I’m on the hairline edge of the cliff about to fall off. It’s true medical issues impact my ability to produce like a factory line, but I don’t think I’ve gotten nearly as serious as I should about developing the set of tools I’ve pratted on about ie tools and techniques to help me write no matter my energy and pain levels. And I’m frustrated with myself. So frustrated. That someone of your gifts is asking the same questions and wondering about it all gives me another push to set out again—-although it’s a push to set out near the summit.
Aw, thank you, Amy … I was (metaphorically) giving myself a boot up the backside but the responses have been an amazing encouragement. None of us are alone in this, though the writing always drags us, alone, to the place where we hope the words will flow. Perhaps we all need to sit there for a moment, and summon up the strength of the collective! We will all get *there*, wherever our *there* is. Thank you so much for the kind words. Wishing you every strength in your own writing journey.
There is nothing wrong with being an aspirant scribbler when you turn out stories like you do Barrie, I've never read one where I thought at the end 'Barrie must be having a bad day' or 'hmm, not sure about this one' everything you publish is better than the one before and I reckon, if, no, not if, when you get that novel finished, we will all be saying 'Wow, this is amaze balls!'
Thank you SO much, Susie … love that the world of words is brimful of encouragers. This means a lot … sometimes the improvements others see evade the writer at the eye of the storm, the becalmed one - he says, hideously mangling his own metaphor! Just write, eh … I’m on it!
Ah, yes! I have the opening of a children’s hidden world fantasy chapter book written - a story that would be at least three (if not more) books long, a host of characters and locations in my head and a basic concept (I hesitate to say story line…) but instead of actually writing it, I am toiling over 1000 word Substack essays… “when I’ve got my Substack sh!t together”, I tell myself, “then I’ll get properly started”….. hmmmmm!!
I very much enjoy your short fiction (so cleverly written) and non-fiction Barry, just write right is such genius and your encouragement files are just so, well, encouraging….. it’s all fab. So when you do find your step to the longer work, it will also be fab. No doubt!! 💛✨
Wow, children’s books - the hardest of the lot … sounds like you have the makings … you’ve already got the Substack thing cracked so time to crack on with the hidden world magic!
And thank you so much for encouraging the encourager! Much-appreciated!
Once again I recognise so much of this. I have all but given up on my own writing. Ive allowed myself to be absolutely bullied by self doubt. Ive become embarrassed of things that don't even exist yet. It seems so ridiculous when you read it back. And I guess that's the point. Reading the comments here is incredibly encouraging if just for the reminder that writing is about rewriting and we can't do that unless we commit initially.
I wish you all the luck in the world my friend. Having said that, Im off for a bike ride to think about that epic book just bursting to get out.
Ah, yes … *that* feeling. Why do we let it happen to ourselves. Weird, we’d never let it happen to our mates, family, the writers we admire … we shout up for them, champion their words, boost their spirits … while letting ourselves get kicked around by doubt. The answer, of course, is always to hop on the saddle. The words, they’ll come, or they won’t. We can’t control that. One pedal stroke after another, that’ll always be there. Go easy on yourself, my friend.
Are you really a bicyclist? You own one-check. You ride it-check. You ride it regularly-check. You ride it to the exclusion of other possible conveyances-check. You ride it very long distances- check. You own special clothing for it-check. You ride it even without special clothing-check. YOU ARE A BICYCLIST
Just write... rewrite... and rewrite ...
The problem with writers as your primary sources of criticism is that writers hate you more for being good, not less, because their ego is involved.
Therefore, the first is to internalize what makes good words, praises, paragraphs, and sentences. I see a lot of misinformation about this because, let's face it, the person who was a bad writer will continue to pump out pieces of bad writing and "say it's good I tell you it's good honestly, I believe it because I'm demented!"
Scribblers do not make progress because they don't make progress on good writing.
“Just write, rewrite and rewrite” … exactly that. Sometimes, I need to give myself a telling off to trigger a flurry of words.
Some days, you will write lots of words and some days, you will concentrate on a single comma that is out of place. The key is to internalize what is good and continue to work on it until it is absolutely correct. Many famous writers have put in a single comma in the morning and removed it in the afternoon because you must be sensitive to the flow of the sentence.
I'm not telling you anything that isn't already out there in really good works of literature.
Or in my head! I do appreciate the voice of reason you offer … I need to commit and put pen to paper.
Whatever you need to do, the core is to write and rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. The problem with scribblers is they write and they write and they write and they write - and make no progress because it is the rewriting that is essential. This means you need to put the pen down and actually read what you wrote. This is a more difficult proposition than one thinks.
I like your writing.
Aw, now THAT is the sort of boost that can make an auld fella’s day!!
Well, it’s only coming from little auld me.
🙌
Well, in that case, old man, I like it too. Your flash fiction is NOT throw-away fiction. It is well-conceived, clever, compelling, thought-provoking. Whenever you doubt it, just tell yourself, "Sharron at 🌿LEAVES said I am a brilliant writer." It is enough. Right?
More than enough … VERY kind indeed!!
👍🏻 I mean it.
🙏🙏🙏
This is very honest, and honestly very relatable. And thank you for sharing my piece, too: the blank page can be a tyrant, but it loses more often than it wins.
For what it’s worth (and from the biased perspective of someone who has also done more *writing about writing* than *fiction writing* of late) your newsletters and notes are all still writing: they take time, craft, talent. Sure, they don’t have the same prestige as a weighty literary tome, but they still have value. Writing anything is hard, yet you’re (we’re) managing it. Something to take pride in, there.
That’s a very encouraging reminder, Ed, thank you … I guess the gather-em-ups are a good celebration of other people’s words but a good training ground for my own (as long as they don’t stay as a hiding place for the words I also need to be writing). Saying this stuff out loud is a necessary nudge to me. Thanks for understanding
I could so relate to this, Barrie. My conclusion is everything is writing.
And your writing is a constant source of encouragement and inspiration for mine, Priya. Thank you.
Just write. Bash out a thousand words a day. Get used to the process. There’ll be stuff in there and it’ll be yours, no-one else’s. But don’t use that yellow typewriter you posted ⬆️ it’s got four letters missing.
I had not spotted that but I’m now in the Q for CGI.
Thanks for the encouragement!
You appear to be showing all the signs of being a writer Barrie! As many say, the job is really rewriting...crafting...and to do that you have to get rubbish on paper and make it good, so even the bad days can (in the end) give you something that turned into something good. The self doubts are unlikely to go away - do it despite them , because you know what a life without writing looks like and it's a bit too boring
‘All the signs’ includes well-honed self doubt and a propensity to do a variety of things other than write - including, today, preparing a wee mezze for JoJo who returns home after a week in Ireland. Allowable distraction. Thank you for always finding the right words.
RELATABLE. Especially the sentiment that if I actually write it, it won't be as good as I imagine it could be/want it to be, and other people might think it's bad, and distractions distractions distractions. Nice to relate though, as I distract myself.
Thank you … it’s good not to be alone! The whole “a writer is someone who finds writing harder than other people” thing! I’ve been very distracted today but preparing a return home supper for JoJo is a decent excuse. Tomorrow, just write!
A great excuse! Happy writing…tomorrow :)
💛✍️💛
YES. You surely are a writer. Ever since I discovered your newsletter, then began following you on here (as your writing expanded), I have admired the smoothness and finesse in the words you continually offer up, wishing I could produce the same. You might not have committed to ‘the one’ yet, or to a routine as such for getting ‘the one’ out in the world, but you will…because of the very stuff you’ve talked about in this post. I’m grateful for what you given us readers in this post because I’m falling so far short in my own attempts that I’m on the hairline edge of the cliff about to fall off. It’s true medical issues impact my ability to produce like a factory line, but I don’t think I’ve gotten nearly as serious as I should about developing the set of tools I’ve pratted on about ie tools and techniques to help me write no matter my energy and pain levels. And I’m frustrated with myself. So frustrated. That someone of your gifts is asking the same questions and wondering about it all gives me another push to set out again—-although it’s a push to set out near the summit.
Aw, thank you, Amy … I was (metaphorically) giving myself a boot up the backside but the responses have been an amazing encouragement. None of us are alone in this, though the writing always drags us, alone, to the place where we hope the words will flow. Perhaps we all need to sit there for a moment, and summon up the strength of the collective! We will all get *there*, wherever our *there* is. Thank you so much for the kind words. Wishing you every strength in your own writing journey.
I know you can write.
Signed,
A Prolific Reader
X
Aw, thanks Holly … my favourite kind of reader! X
There is nothing wrong with being an aspirant scribbler when you turn out stories like you do Barrie, I've never read one where I thought at the end 'Barrie must be having a bad day' or 'hmm, not sure about this one' everything you publish is better than the one before and I reckon, if, no, not if, when you get that novel finished, we will all be saying 'Wow, this is amaze balls!'
Just write right! Go!
Thank you SO much, Susie … love that the world of words is brimful of encouragers. This means a lot … sometimes the improvements others see evade the writer at the eye of the storm, the becalmed one - he says, hideously mangling his own metaphor! Just write, eh … I’m on it!
Ah, yes! I have the opening of a children’s hidden world fantasy chapter book written - a story that would be at least three (if not more) books long, a host of characters and locations in my head and a basic concept (I hesitate to say story line…) but instead of actually writing it, I am toiling over 1000 word Substack essays… “when I’ve got my Substack sh!t together”, I tell myself, “then I’ll get properly started”….. hmmmmm!!
I very much enjoy your short fiction (so cleverly written) and non-fiction Barry, just write right is such genius and your encouragement files are just so, well, encouraging….. it’s all fab. So when you do find your step to the longer work, it will also be fab. No doubt!! 💛✨
Wow, children’s books - the hardest of the lot … sounds like you have the makings … you’ve already got the Substack thing cracked so time to crack on with the hidden world magic!
And thank you so much for encouraging the encourager! Much-appreciated!
B,
Once again I recognise so much of this. I have all but given up on my own writing. Ive allowed myself to be absolutely bullied by self doubt. Ive become embarrassed of things that don't even exist yet. It seems so ridiculous when you read it back. And I guess that's the point. Reading the comments here is incredibly encouraging if just for the reminder that writing is about rewriting and we can't do that unless we commit initially.
I wish you all the luck in the world my friend. Having said that, Im off for a bike ride to think about that epic book just bursting to get out.
x
Ah, yes … *that* feeling. Why do we let it happen to ourselves. Weird, we’d never let it happen to our mates, family, the writers we admire … we shout up for them, champion their words, boost their spirits … while letting ourselves get kicked around by doubt. The answer, of course, is always to hop on the saddle. The words, they’ll come, or they won’t. We can’t control that. One pedal stroke after another, that’ll always be there. Go easy on yourself, my friend.
Are you really a bicyclist? You own one-check. You ride it-check. You ride it regularly-check. You ride it to the exclusion of other possible conveyances-check. You ride it very long distances- check. You own special clothing for it-check. You ride it even without special clothing-check. YOU ARE A BICYCLIST
Very fair point, exceedingly well made!