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No doubt: writing with confidence

9/12/2018

4 Comments

 
I doubted myself yesterday. In fact, I've doubted myself a lot in the past several months. As a writer, it's impossible not to doubt. We feel the weight of unfinished manuscripts, of plots that seem flawless in our heads but not on the page, of missing commas and dangling participles, of rejection letters (or the absence of such), of never getting an agent ... an editor ... a book deal.

Doubt is part of the territory, but it doesn't have to be a negative.

Just a few positive thoughts about doubt:

1. Doubt prods you to seek out your peers. Whether you participate in critiques via email, join a national organization such as Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), cruise online writing blog sites, or go to writing conferences, surrounding yourself with other writers can be comforting. Writers are incredibly supportive of other writers. Don't write in a bubble.

2. Doubt makes you humble. Nobody likes a know-it-all, boastful writer. Although agents and editors want a writer with confidence, they will likely be turned off by someone who touts in a query letter how much better his or her writing is than anything currently out there earning publishing dollars on bookstore shelves. Stay humble, my friend.

3. Doubt allows your writing to grow. Don't think that first chapter is perfect yet? Find a critique partner or monthly critique group to help you see the flaws in your work. Have someone with top notch grammar skills, such as a professional editor, take a crack at final proofing. Doubt can produce growth, and growth can produce writing dollars.

4. Doubt forces you to be flexible. Although agents and editors expect a manuscript to be in the best possible shape when they receive it, writers should expect changes. A writer who thinks his or her work is "perfect," as is, may have a hard time forming a good working relationship and may hinder repeat publishing opportunities. Inflexibility may also prevent your manuscript from being the best it can be.

5. Doubt allows you to fail, making success all the sweeter. This may seem a very convoluted comment, but each failed attempt to publish your work, and all the doubt that comes with it, should teach you a thing or two and push you to work harder (and better). It is through learning from our mistakes that we come closer to perfecting our work and seeing success in whatever form we wish, whether that first request from an agent to see the full manuscript, your book available for $1.99 on Kindle, or the ultimate six figure deal with a major publishing house.

I get it. I understand doubt. I recently gave up my position as a newspaper reporter with a Pittsburgh newspaper. I moved several hours away, after being in the same community for over 20 years. No one here knows me as the humor columnist of "A Little Bit of Life" essays about my quirky mom existence. No one knows me as the reporter who scooped the robbery at the bank just down the street ... twice. No one knows me as the advocate for the arts at all the high schools and community theaters. Unlike my previous reporter position, which guaranteed reporting about regular people on a regular basis with regular deadlines, I'm now writing in a freelance capacity. Jobs rarely fall from the sky. Though I have over 20 years of writing experience, including helping many small businesses and non-profits look good in the public eye, I am essentially starting over. Making new contacts. Finding my way.

And seriously doubting myself.

That's why I decided to blog about the benefits of doubt.

Because, no doubt, there are a lot of writers that need a little more confidence in their writing. And that's okay ... as long as you (and I) use that doubt to confidently get to success, whatever that may be.

I'm rooting for you (and me).




4 Comments
Linda
9/14/2018 05:40:00 am

I SO understand that part about starting over. After 30 years as "The Linda L"-a big fish in a little pond-I am now the 70 year old nobody trolling for and not finding writing jobs.So I am often filled with "doubt" and ready to quit. What the heck, if I can't rest on my laurels after all these years...but then there are the stories that crowd my brain...I doubt I can ignore them!

Reply
Brenda Haas
9/14/2018 05:50:08 am

Don't you dare ignore those pushy stories! I've seen that brain of yours at work too many times before. You are too good at what you do to never write again. I really miss "The Linda L." :) And here we are ... just a couple of doubters. I'm too stubborn to let a little doubt cloud MY crowded brain. And so are you!

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Karen Henry Clark link
10/2/2018 08:44:57 am

What a delight to have discovered you at the September SCBWI conference. I was the quiet person across the table who reached out for your business card and finally took a break from my own writing to find your wonderful blog. Yes, I understand that pushy doubt that can paralyze us

Reply
Brenda Haas
10/2/2018 09:17:59 am

Kind words. Thanks, Karen! I'm so glad I attended the SCBWI conference. Met so many great people. Writing conferences always give me a boost of confidence and push me to keep plugging away at what I do. I think it's because writers seem to inherently want to support other writers. Feel free to follow me on Twitter @HaasBren. I always link my newest blogs and try to post at least once a week.

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    Writer

    Brenda Haas lived in the Pittsburgh, PA area for over 20 years and moved to Lake Erie with her husband in early 2018. She has two grown daughters and way too many pets.

    A columnist for Pittsburgh area's Penn Franklin News Publishing Company, her "A Little Bit of Life" essays provided a snapshot of being a parent, wife and independent woman who attracts the "quirky" in everyday living. She has also been published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and My Outer Banks Home magazine.

    Brenda currently freelances for various businesses and non-profits and is well-versed in public relations and marketing.

    Works-in-Progress


    Adult:
    "Here or There on Beddington Bluff"
    "Sutton's Choice"
    "Sutton's Second Chance"

    Young Adult:
    "Something Strange at Water's Edge"
    "Hells of Southgate"
    "Forest for the Trees"

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