self rejection

What Is Self-Rejection?

The term self-rejection is a buzzword to a few, and a reality to some. You have to understand the process of writing is hard. You have to develop a thick skin to write.

With that said, how does one define ‘self-rejection’, I definite as:

Self-rejection is when you as a writer believe you shouldn’t write, have no support to keep writing, and should never even start writing.

Self-rejection is a paralytic to those whom desire to write, and want to show such work to a curious public. It robs you of the belief in yourself! It robs you of creativity, the power and skill of your own imagination, forcing you to believe what you desire to do–it is not worthy of merit, support or recognition.

All writers go through a cycle or season of this–but that is just what it is! It should be temporary. In order to truly embrace the talent you, yourself, house, you must give yourself permission to write what you desire.

No more. No less. Remember the ARR.

Accept what your imagination is giving you.

Realize you have the ability to write it.

Remember the first person you write for is yourself.

As the writer–yes, YOU the writer, have a duty to write. Franz Kafka said, “A non-writing writer is a monster courting insanity.” You counter not writing, by writing–there is no other shortcut. The first person you need support, whom you need to believe in your talent, is you.

Don’t reject you.

Encouragement Pages-01/29/2020

Self-rejection is a slow poison.

It is a poison whose apothecary is familiar. Whom is familiar with their victims as well as their enemies.

But what happens when they are one and the same?

Every time you reject a story, a portion of your imagination vanishes. Every time you scrap a story because you’re scared to write it, more of you vanishes.

Rage against the dying of the light.

Poison is for those dying or marked for death.

Writing is a source of life.

With Love & Ink,

JBHarris

Why The Doubt Is Crippling

There is nothing so devastating as being scared to write down the thing which is on your own head. Such a paradox to create something and then not bring it to the light of paper or screen.

There is nothing so devastating as to want to create, only to fear the outcome.

Sometimes dear ones, these things happen. Especially, when it something outside of your normal comfort zone. Something that may be seen as a little wilder. Sexier. Scarier. Darker.

The doubt is most disconcerting, yes. But, it is not insurmountable. Consider it the reminder of your mortality. The reminder that every story, every idea, has and needs a certain amount of care. A level of respect and concern before beginning and finishing any work.

It could even be a guard to being to hasty before starting a new work. Switching a genre. Even thinking of using a pen name. Sometimes the doubt can allow the story to incubate, stew a while. This way when you come back it, the thought–your thought, subject to your talent and its skill–is or may be more easily managed.

The doubt is a yellow light, a stop sign. But it is not, nor should be a considered a brick wall. Listen to the doubt. Sometimes its background noise, sometimes it it’s your imagination reminding you to just wait a minute. In the waiting, you may just make what would be a good story into something phenomenal.