Monday Madness: You're Awesome! (Until You're Not)

Every writer I've come across has their moments where they are like, "Yes, I am so AWESOME. Bask in my awesomeness, little people!" quickly followed by, "Wow, I suck SO MUCH. Why do I continue torturing these poor people with my drivel?"

I'm currently somewhere in-between.

I've been struggling with my current WIP, Last of the Elves. For some reason, I just can't get it right. My critique forum have been more than helpful, more than patient, more than understanding and, yet, I just don't get what they're trying to tell me. Part of me wonders if it's because the truculent toddler inside me is saying, "You just don't get it! I am right, you are wrong!" or really, that I just lack the brain capacity to see what the problem is. Maybe I'm too close to the work. I don't know. But it's frustrating me to no end.

Hence, my OMG-I-suck moment.

But on the other end of the spectrum is Dragon Queen, the short story that is going to be published (which, I argue, if it wasn't good, it wouldn't be getting published) and also the short story in the "for fun" contest on my critique forum, which isn't doing as horrible as I thought it would. So, I apparently can write from time to time. I must be awesome to some extent.

And yet, LOTE fails.

Almost all the writers in my acquaintance experience these small failures. It's difficult not to be discouraged. My tip? Try focusing on the positive in your life, especially when it involves writing. It may not be enough to completely stop you from asking yourself "Why am I doing this again?" but it might be enough to keep you going until you have your next "OMG, I am AWESOME" moment. And, trust me, that moment will come.

(If that doesn't work, grab a mocha. Coffee + chocolate makes everything better.)