The struggle with self-doubt and “Mr. You-Can’t-Do-It” is real tonight (Sunday) so I decided to pull this pep talk from the archives.
When I was eleven years old, I decided that I wanted to be the youngest romance writer ever (are you laughing yet?) I have stacks and stacks, files and files of character sketches, book ideas, outlines—tons of them. Somewhere along the way that evil nasty ugly voice —you know the one—the one who says you can’t do it? He got in the way and pushed the idea out of my head. Convinced me that no one would take me seriously as a writer until I had “life experience” under my belt. A real confidence shatterer that one. So I put writing on the back shelf. Did the college thing, the getting married thing, the having babies thing, and quickly realized that ugly voice gave me a new excuse—the “You don’t have time to be a writer” excuse. Coming in quick second place is the “You suck and {insert whoever’s name here} is such a better writer than you. You’ll never make it.” voice. Dang. He’s a harsh one that one.
Why do we give in to that voice? Why do we succumb and agree with—agree that we can’t do it? Whether in actions or words.
I’m here today to stand up and say stop. Stop giving into the negativity of Mr. “You-Can’t-Do-It”. He needs to shut up and get out! Here’s to making more dreams and big dreams and not comparing and talking down to ourselves. We are dreamers. We are writers. We can do it!
Ohmygosh! I used to write ‘novels’ in lined notebooks, too. Like, obsessively. I even had soundtrack songs for the movie versions picked out, I’m pretty sure. And pictures for the characters. That’s totally embarassing to say, but true. 🙂 lol. I’m thinking he needs to shut up, too – how much fun would that dream have been to realize??
Yup! Did that too! Love making soundtracks for my books 🙂