So very timely, I suspect for many writers. “Not getting in our own way” is the challenge of writing - and of course for living in general. Confidence and doubt are a writer’s inevitable compass headings in a storm, and navigating them can be very distracting! Thanks for the pep talk.
You ask how "satisfied" we are with our current creative work. I want to say "very," as I feel I've been developing some good work. But I can't. "Somewhat" is better. It's better because when I feel that I am "on fire," so to speak, it sometimes, many times, feels false even if it's not. I can't allow myself to be "on fire" because that negates the inherent struggle that must be there, in my estimation, for creative work to have the edge it should. Does that make sense? I never want to be too confident. It's an odd place, creative work.
Total sense!! Though I don't have many moments of overconfidence, I can relate to what I consider a healthy fear of creative complacency. The only time I had a taste of that was when I was a brand new writer. Such is the way, I suppose.
So very timely, I suspect for many writers. “Not getting in our own way” is the challenge of writing - and of course for living in general. Confidence and doubt are a writer’s inevitable compass headings in a storm, and navigating them can be very distracting! Thanks for the pep talk.
Thanks!! When we hit our collective Renaissance, I'll try to bring us back down to earth. 😉
You ask how "satisfied" we are with our current creative work. I want to say "very," as I feel I've been developing some good work. But I can't. "Somewhat" is better. It's better because when I feel that I am "on fire," so to speak, it sometimes, many times, feels false even if it's not. I can't allow myself to be "on fire" because that negates the inherent struggle that must be there, in my estimation, for creative work to have the edge it should. Does that make sense? I never want to be too confident. It's an odd place, creative work.
Total sense!! Though I don't have many moments of overconfidence, I can relate to what I consider a healthy fear of creative complacency. The only time I had a taste of that was when I was a brand new writer. Such is the way, I suppose.