Whew, it's January 20, and I still feel like I'm catching up from all the Christmas/New Year/birthday festivities. But now that I'm back in the swing of things (including blogging), I thought I'd tackle one of your questions this week.So here goes: How do you get over the anxiety of showing your work and talking about your work to people you know, like my family and friends?
Well, I'm not going to lie. I've been a professional writer for 11 years now, and when people ask me what I do for a living, it still garners some pretty interesting looks. After all, how could I possibly get paid for doing something I love like writing novels and reviewing movies, music and books?
Like anything else worthwhile, you gotta fight the naysayers (and yes, sometimes they will even be family members...tsk tsk) with some good ol' fashioned confidence. Even if you haven't written your Pulitzer Prize-winning effort yet, clearly writing is something you cherish, so why not share it with the ones you love? As you continue to grow in confidence as a writer, the process will get easier, I promise. And as long as you keep honing your craft, you'll have something to show for it that you wouldn't mind having anyone read.
Plus, another good reason to show your friends and family your way is for their constructive criticism and support. Before I ever show my novels to an editor, I make sure a small group of people I trust takes a look and provides me with feedback first. That way, I know I'm submitting something I can be proud of.
That's some really great advice! I can speak from personal experience, having a writing cousin who is my cheerleader, it's a great feeling to get feedback from family.
ReplyDeleteIt makes all the difference, doesn't it? :) Happy writing, Abby
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