The Sin of Validation
I could say that everytime I sit to write, I'm confident that I'm producing the best fiction I'm capable of.
I could say that, but I'd be lying.
On good writing days, I could say it confidently and honestly. But on bad writing days I'm guilty of a sin, one I hope afflicts others as I'd hate to be alone in this - it's a creeping, crawling need to be validated. To have someone say what you've written is good.
Think puppy dog waiting for a pat on the head.
The problem with needing validation is it never completely subsides.
I thought once So Not The Drama had snagged me an agent I'd be fine. Or at the very least confident that I could reproduce the same work each time.
Pssh, yeah right.
Today, as you may have already gathered, was not a good writing day.
Hate those days!
Bad writing days, for me, are when I know what I want to write - but it comes out stilted. It literally feels like my characters are slogging through the action, going through the motions.
Only, I can't blame them. I'm the one puppeteering.
On bad writing days, I desparately want to show the work to someone and have them hang on to every word and validate that it's good and that I'm simply a hopeless nut case too loopy to recognize my own brillance.
The good news is, there's always tomorrow.
Most likely I'll emerge from today with a better state of mind, ready to make those words pop.
The bad news is, the day hasn't ended yet and I'm torn between leaving the mss alone and tinkering it with it until it does what I want it to do.
I created these characters, dangit!
Why won't they behave?
I could say that, but I'd be lying.
On good writing days, I could say it confidently and honestly. But on bad writing days I'm guilty of a sin, one I hope afflicts others as I'd hate to be alone in this - it's a creeping, crawling need to be validated. To have someone say what you've written is good.
Think puppy dog waiting for a pat on the head.
The problem with needing validation is it never completely subsides.
I thought once So Not The Drama had snagged me an agent I'd be fine. Or at the very least confident that I could reproduce the same work each time.
Pssh, yeah right.
Today, as you may have already gathered, was not a good writing day.
Hate those days!
Bad writing days, for me, are when I know what I want to write - but it comes out stilted. It literally feels like my characters are slogging through the action, going through the motions.
Only, I can't blame them. I'm the one puppeteering.
On bad writing days, I desparately want to show the work to someone and have them hang on to every word and validate that it's good and that I'm simply a hopeless nut case too loopy to recognize my own brillance.
The good news is, there's always tomorrow.
Most likely I'll emerge from today with a better state of mind, ready to make those words pop.
The bad news is, the day hasn't ended yet and I'm torn between leaving the mss alone and tinkering it with it until it does what I want it to do.
I created these characters, dangit!
Why won't they behave?
Labels: bad writing, validation
posted by Paula at 7:19 PM
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