Remorse, or What Was I Thinking?

Saturday I went shopping with a friend. I ordered lobster mac and cheese because it just sounded awesome. A while later, we split an ice cream injected cupcake. At the time, I just went with it because in true Fat Kid Logic fashion, lunch with a bestie reduces your calorie count and the shared dessert had no calories at all.

Later, I thought "I'm trying to fit in a dress. I should've eaten better. What the hell was I thinking?"

Writer's have a different version of food remorse called this-is-utter-shit-why-the-hell-did-I-write-THAT. This happens to me whenever I complete a draft. While I'm in the frenzy of creation, every idea is brilliant and each turn of phrase is Pulitzer material. I am the best thing in the unpublished world and all should bow to my awesomeness.

That's before. After. After, I go through all stages of grief and understand why so many writers need AA.

My brilliant idea isn't as original as I hoped, my turn of phrase I stole from whatever book I was reading at the time. Perfectionism is a taskmaster and it's hard to realize that what you thought was kick ass is really sub-par.

Sounds horrific, right? Eh. It's part of my writing life. I make due. I try to be optimistic as possible when it comes to my writing because once I start with the "I suck's," it's hard to stop. Because "I suck" is copping out. I don't suck. You don't suck. Despite what people think, not everyone can write. It's an art and art requires talent. That we have enough talent to do this is awesome.

So when writer's remorse hits, put the project away, eat some ice cream, and remember the following things:
  1. I don't suck.
  2. Art doesn't happen overnight.
  3. Not everyone can write, but I can.

That's how I work it out. How about you? Comment here and over at Erinn's something else to distract me.


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Last.fm hit of the day: Bad Things by Wednesday 13