tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post1990657197544128849..comments2023-10-15T03:20:42.697-04:00Comments on Blog of Author Michelle McLean: How to Balance Confidence and DoubtMichelle McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08730366330276974943noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-126506961260906522009-08-01T10:59:00.563-04:002009-08-01T10:59:00.563-04:00I am bookmarking this post to read at least once a...I am bookmarking this post to read at least once a week.Lizahttp://middlepassages-lcs.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-79791066287145923392009-07-28T21:12:27.359-04:002009-07-28T21:12:27.359-04:00Well said. I have often discarded weeks of work i...Well said. I have often discarded weeks of work in fits of desperation. I don't do that anymore. And I would be lost without all the workshop support I received in grad school. And keeping those friends and sharing the experience with them is priceless. No writer is alone!Anna C. Morrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271598466699263194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-17369498568961326612009-07-28T19:18:49.263-04:002009-07-28T19:18:49.263-04:00ROFL Rebecca LOL oh...yeah...I hear ya. My whole l...ROFL Rebecca LOL oh...yeah...I hear ya. My whole life, my writing teachers have praised me. I was even accused of plagiarizing in fifth grade because my teacher just didn't think a kid my age could write that well (I had to show her all my drafts before she'd believe me).<br /><br />Mine was a rude awakening, but I am thankful every day for it :) I am a much better writer now, and I continue to learn new things at the hands (and red pens) of my critters. If it wasn't for them, I'd still be screaming at my computer screen wondering why the rejections were pouring in :)Michelle McLeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08730366330276974943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-1468665359067645852009-07-28T18:55:08.363-04:002009-07-28T18:55:08.363-04:00This is too funny! I just blogged about the self ...This is too funny! I just blogged about the self doubt and necessity of Writer Friends this very day :). I love your honesty about your own emotions/shortcomings. It's just so true!<br /><br />Your experiences here reminded me of my own "brutal awakening" when I went off to college. All the way through high school every writing teacher I'd ever had ooh'd and ahh'd over my poetry, never once telling me that there are "right" ways and "wrong" ways to write even freeform verse. Some stuff just sucks, as we all know.<br /><br />My first week there I found a critique group and sent them a pile of my poems, puffing out my chest and waiting for them to email me telling me what I already knew: I was the next Emily Dickenson. No degree needed. I should teach the class.<br /><br />But, you guessed it, it came back with tons of edits and suggestions on everything from form to imagery. After yelling charming things like "You wouldn't know good poetry if it kicked you in the nut sack!" at my computer screen, I finally faced the truth.<br />They were right. And nice. And just helping me out.<br /><br />It was an embarrassing but necessary lesson.Rebecca Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15214077952378770753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-78661158075155134502009-07-28T15:42:31.429-04:002009-07-28T15:42:31.429-04:00'Tis true. Writing friends make all the differ...'Tis true. Writing friends make all the difference in the world.Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-70384919072358083112009-07-28T14:33:41.026-04:002009-07-28T14:33:41.026-04:00My writing pal (met online) is the best thing to e...My writing pal (met online) is the best thing to ever happen to me.<br /><br />We didn't intend to become friends, so we set the rules up right away. Honesty, brutality, and trust.<br /><br />Friendship came naturally after that!<br /><br />Now we know each other so well we can spot a familiar weakness a mile away. Thanks for the post. Being knocked down a few pegs is something I know only too well!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09556206184198452490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-50484979656525519792009-07-28T13:54:54.589-04:002009-07-28T13:54:54.589-04:00Ditto on what Tricia said.
You posted this at th...Ditto on what Tricia said. <br /><br />You posted this at the perfect time, too. People truly do not understand how difficult this process is until they try it. <br /><br />You've done an excellent job showing the rollercoaster of emotions writers go through when trying to get published.Kathryn Hupp-Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03776391661543060879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-77965677713274603762009-07-28T11:42:43.929-04:002009-07-28T11:42:43.929-04:00Thanks for the comments! It really is a fine balan...Thanks for the comments! It really is a fine balance sometimes. As I am currently in the "get shredded by your crit buddies" stage, my confidence is often lacking nowadays. LOL<br /><br />Morgan - it is difficult, especially when you are dealing with online friends, to know when you can trust people or not. And I have actually had an experience with someone who did plagiarize a friend's manuscript. Someone we all knew and were friends with in real life as well. You do have to be careful, but the reality is, even someone you know very well can steal from you.<br /><br />Just trust your instincts. Go to reputable sites (Querytracker.net/forum is awesome! That is where I have met all of my close writer friends and crit buddies). I actually did a post on finding crit groups a few months ago. Here is the link - http://michellemclean.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-find-critique-group.html<br /><br />I hope that helps! <br /><br />Good luck with your writing everyone and thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!Michelle McLeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08730366330276974943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-42037249472540359642009-07-28T11:21:36.228-04:002009-07-28T11:21:36.228-04:00Thank you. I really needed to hear this :)
I woul...Thank you. I really needed to hear this :)<br /><br />I would love to find some critique/writer friends, but as a newcomer to all of this, I still worry about entrusting my WIP to someone I really don't know that well. At what point did you feel comfortable enough to share your writing with online friends?Lisa Guillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12811848570807946909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-48447790794721117092009-07-28T10:40:31.060-04:002009-07-28T10:40:31.060-04:00Great post. This is great stuff to remember, part...Great post. This is great stuff to remember, particularly for those of us who are still trying to hone our craft.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07823808700523297184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-55247295811286840392009-07-28T10:32:20.571-04:002009-07-28T10:32:20.571-04:00This act of balancing is probably the toughest thi...This act of balancing is probably the toughest thing for me -- I doubt myself <i>all</i> the time, sometimes because I am surrounded by such phenomenal writers and bloggers, while at other points their positive critique of my writing allows me to soar.<br /><br />It's a tough business, and I hope that someday I will manage to perfect that balance.<br /><br />It seems to me you're doing well, Michelle. GOOD LUCK as you move forward. :)<br /><br />Cheers!Weronika Janczukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02578288655500573458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-84543066820279503732009-07-28T10:23:12.481-04:002009-07-28T10:23:12.481-04:00Writer friends definitely help.
I can feel every...Writer friends definitely help. <br /><br />I can feel everything you have said here. I've ridden the high of overconfidence, the low of rejection and in between. Hell, I do it every day. I'm out there still trying to get published, submitting to agents, writing, submitting to critiquing groups. It's so rough. I can say this though, sometimes those harsh critiques, though they sting at first, are the best thing for you. They help you improve so much more than the gushing critiques of praise. It just takes getting past the sting.Katie Salidashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15159923761047042193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-32600156428822724942009-07-28T10:17:28.736-04:002009-07-28T10:17:28.736-04:00Wow, you really are a master of essay. You nailed ...Wow, you really are a master of essay. You nailed the emotional life of a writer with humor and grace. That was so well-written and truthful that all I can do with my red pen is write: ATricia J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05993110400088806252noreply@blogger.com