Another Duality Discussion
For those of you new to the blog, this is my third post on the duality of a writer’s mind. If you smile or totally get it, read the first and second duality posts as well.
The left brain is in regular font. The right brain (or writing mind) is in italics.
Image courtesy foxtongue.
You are not as good as you hope you are.
But I might be.
There are thousands of writers out there who write better than you do.
True, but I might be a very good writer.
You might be. Maybe. But that doesn’t mean anyone will read or like your stuff.
I’m still going to write it.
Yeah, I know. You keep your pen to the page, scribbling all the time, thinking you are getting somewhere.
I’m not?
Hardly. You are too old, too new to the game, too…
Wait, I smell fear.
What? That’s absurd!
Is it? I think I smell fear. What are you afraid of? Are you afraid that I really am good?
I’m not afraid! Look, finish that novel and send it out to some beta readers. Then you’ll learn the truth.
What if the beta readers like it?
They won’t.
What if they really like it?
C’mon, what are the odds of that?
I can name two people who like my fiction.
Sure, but do you believe them?
I have no reason not to.
You have every reason not to! They are just being nice.
I see. Two people, who could easily sidestep the issue, told me they like my fiction.
Well, that’s only two people. You are better at non-fiction.
That’s interesting news. Wasn’t it you that got frustrated with the non fiction book and encouraged me to get the stories building up in me out on paper?
Well, um.
Well? Wasn’t it?
Look, you get the fun of writing. I’m the one that will have to deal with your rejection slips and negative feedback and your eternal optimism.
Ah, so you’re scared.
Of course not. I’m just…cautious.
Scaredy cat, scaredy cat!
I am not!
Look, I think you are putting the cart before the horse. Let me finish this draft. You can pick it apart and put it back together. We will worry about what happens to it later, okay?
But it won’t be any good.
It might be.
Probably not.
It might be very good.
<sighs> Okay it might be good. But your ego is fragile and I just don’t want the hassle.
Later. Worry about that later.
I want to worry about it now.
Right now you need to hush so I can write.
I’ll try.
Thank you. Now where was I?
One of these people need to get killed – if you want, I can send over the dude who off’d my self-doubt.
It normally isn’t this…strident. I’ve always been shy about showing my fiction. Now that I’ve shown it to a couple people, I find myself questioning their motives for saying it is good. Is it? That is for readers to decide, I suppose.
I’d be quite happy if you could kill off this version of the left brain. Send your hitmen over!
Embrace the Suck!
Love the dim
Love the rain
Love yourself