Our Own Worst Critics

I've decided that I am my own worst critic when it comes to my writing. I doubt if I'm alone.

Sometimes we are right, of course, when we reject a piece of writing as trivial, badly worded, or whatever the problem is. We should look for grammar and spelling mistakes and do what we can to make our writing the best it can be. However, it is too easy to think that no one will ever want to read what we've written, and so we keep what might be some marvelous work to ourselves.

It helps to set writing aside for a few days, and then go back and read it with fresh eyes. It helps not to take too seriously other people's opinions on what good writing is. There are niches for all types of writing and if someone looks down his nose at, say, popular fiction, then that is his problem, not yours. Finding your own niche and voice and style will let you write your best work.

We all fight some insecurity, too, especially since writing is so personal in one way or another. That also makes it easy to keep our work to ourselves. We think it isn't good enough or it isn't finished enough or whatever. We (I) need to be braver about sharing our talent. Easier said than done, I know, but something to work toward.