Unless of course you're a writer.
I don't think I've met an egotistical writer. At least not an up and coming one. Not that published, established authors are egomaniacs. They're confident in their craft.
As an unpublished author, hopefully soon to be published, I can be confident. Egotistical... not so much. Yes, this is my "baby" I am presenting to the world. People will be kind but some will be downright mean. Let's face it, if people don't like a book and get to write a review, they get to hide behind their computer monitor and be as snarky as they want.
It is sort of like having another kid. You give birth to it, raise it and send it out into the world hoping you have done a good job. That this child will be a productive member of society.
While your book isn't your child, you certainly are presenting it to the world. Your name is all over that book and what's inside is a complete and total representation of... wait for it... YOU.
*Gasp!*
So now it begs the question: Did you represent yourself well?
Doesn't matter if you are self-published or went through a publisher. Did you represent yourself well? Did you polish that work to a shine? Did you edit, revise and edit again? Did you send it out to people? Did you get feedback? And most importantly... did you listen?
I'm learning that while I may be a good writer, I STILL have room for improvement. I think back to when I started writing and let me just say: WOW.
It's like looking back at my artwork from when I was a kid to now. The scribbling outside of the lines to working my butt off for perfection.
So, I can sit here before you and say, "Man, I love my characters!" or "I love this part!" and it won't come across as egotistical. At least I hope it won't. I'm just proud of the work I have done and will be just as proud when I am published and see my name on the cover. Just like I would be proud of my own kids.
Are you proud of what you've done?
7 comments:
It's a funny thing, isn't it? The fluctuation between 'that's so good! I can't believe I wrote that!' and 'what the heck was I thinking?' I can be confident most of the time, but turning it over to other readers gives me a case of nerves.
Some days I feel it, and others I don't. But every time I go back to my first chapter I love it again. I guess that's a good sign.
Some days I am, some days I wished I'd created something that was Star Wars epic.
hells yeah i'm proud. But of course, there are also those days where i feel like i'm a hack. Good thing those days always pass.
I try really hard to believe in myself. It makes rejection a lot easier
I agree with all of you. I'm a bundle of nerves when I send it out. Some days I love it, the next I'm ripping it apart. I wish I had written something as epic as Lord of the Rings, then I think, it wasn't my story to tell. My story is a good one and I'm getting more excited thinking about getting it out there.
I think pride in your work will be your best defense against those snarky reviewers - you'll be safe in the knowledge that you can't please everyone, but you've still worked hard and your work is damn good.
What gets me (particularly with self published) is the desire to 'just get a book published', and authors don't realise that even then their book becomes known somewhere in the world, so if you haven't put the effort it, someone's going to find out.
Mostly I am. But then I have those days when I want to crawl into a cave and burn everything I've ever written...
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