All writers have to find a way to deal with the internal negative voice that tells them their work is crap and not worth pursuing. Or, as I often like to say, the game of conventional publishing success is far more psychological than you might think.
Some of the most famous writing advice in the world is about managing inner conflict. Anne Lamott, for example, is well known for the “Shitty First Drafts” concept (from Bird by Bird): She gives you permission to write poorly as a way of getting around that negative voice—or to just accept that your stuff isn’t that good. But no worries, you’ll make it better.
Or Steven Pressfield, in The War of Art, discusses his concept of resistance. He argues that the negative voice you hear is the result of fear, and that “the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.”
In the latest Glimmer Train bulletin, Devin Murphy finds inspiration to continue his creative struggle in the journals of John Steinbeck, who was extremely critical of himself. Murphy writes:
I kept reading the journals until I found a line that seemed most apt for summing up all these criticisms he launches. “The gray birds of loneliness hopping about.” This it seems encapsulates his inner hydra of self-hate, a genius poet of vile perched on his shoulders.
Read Murphy’s full essay, The Gray Birds of Loneliness.
More from Glimmer Train this month:
- Writers Aren’t Who They Think They Are by David Ebenbach
- Beesting, Kneecap, Lozenge by Dan Murphy
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
[…] view post at https://janefriedman.com/creation-and-doubt/ […]
Yup. This is a topic I write about a lot on my blog, The Rejection Survival Guide. I like to personify my self-doubt as “self-doubt demons,” and my dialogue with them produces amusing and cathartic posts like this one: https://rejectionsurvivalguide.wordpress.com/2016/10/26/letters-to-my-self-doubt-demons/
[…] Friedman recently wrote a blog titled “Creation and Doubt are Enjoined Twins.” She also references an article by Devin Murphy in Glimmer Train, “The Gray Birds of Loneliness,” […]
Thanks. I needed that.
Nancy Lamb (Crafting Stories for Children) called this inner voice of doubt (or worse) “The Spoiler.” It is often a parent or a parental figure’s voice. She suggests talking back to it, and getting sassi. I do, Buster!
The more I talk to people, the more I realize the inner critic is so strong in everyone. Writing is just more solitary and the periods between getting feedback and encouragement can be so long. It makes it harder to fight and quiet that voice. I do think that fearing something is a great reason to plunge into it. Facing a fear is the best way to reduce its power.
[…] https://janefriedman.com/creation-and-doubt/ Do you suffer from doubt? I know I do. I worry that my writing isn’t good enough. I hope to conquer this fear in the days ahead. […]