I had a crisis moment. I opened up a project I was working on that I hadn’t touched in months. I hadn’t even had it open two seconds when this overwhelming feeling of “What was I thinking? That’s terrible! I can’t do this. I’m a joke, what was I thinking? Have I lost my mind, I can’t pretend I’m worthy of this. This is ridiculous, what was I thinking?”
Have you ever felt that way…that you’re not enough? Or your work isn’t good enough? Or that you aren’t a “real writer?” Oh my gosh, it’s the worst feeling in the world. It’s paralyzing and suffocating and JUST PLAIN WRONG because you and I are both worth it and those thoughts aren’t true.
So in true K.M. fashion, I did a fb live about it:
So now what? Well now you go and make your file like we talked about in the video. Collect everything from fan art, to nice quotes, to screen grabs of the text messages your beta reader sent you, to reviews, to anything good related to your story.
Keep it in one collective place. Now anytime that little voice tells you “you aren’t” (good enough/smart enough/eloquent enough/imaginative enough/worthy enough) you dive into your collection and remind yourself that it’s not just your mama who thinks you’re cool. People actually like you and believe in your work.
So there, silly little voice. So. There.
For real though, it actually helps. I have a nice little collection of nice things my people have said about me or done for me and when I overwhelm myself with worry, I also remind myself people appreciate me and my work, and even if it doesn’t make me bright and sunny feeling, it at least helps to balance it out. And really, that’s good enough at times.
Jump down in the comments and tell me the first thing you’re adding to your collection.
Stay inspired,
-K.M.