http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tKnv3_YcGs&feature=related

Of course you are talented....I haven't had the chance to read what you wrote, but I am sure it is very good

Nothing is wrong with you....EVERYONE has doubts about themselves and what they can do

Anyone have any ideas how to get past this crap???

ok...that was kinda creepy...and annoying at the same time....lmao

Hummm all I can say is you should learn to take those at their word. Most the time when someone comments that another is good at what they do be it writing, art, painting or even the way they say things. They say what they say for that is how they feel. Not sure about most but myself if and when I comment on a subject it is truly how I see it. If I don't like what I read or have nothing to say I let it be. I'm not one that will tell someone they are good at something if in fact I don't feel that way. Instead I just want comment on it...

I remember this phase -- I went through something similar....

Years before I wrote "Moving Day," I wrote a first draft of a story about an alien race who actually stole the dinosaurs from Earth 65 million years ago. It was pretty funny and if I could find it I would probably try to use it as the basis for a story today.

But I had doubts about whether it was "good enough" -- whatever that means.

I had to do a LOT of writing before I reached the point where I felt confident enough to put my stuff out there for public perusal.

I'll tell you when I knew I was ready. There came a time when I'd be reading a book -- any book, really -- and I'd run across a phrase and I'd think "he could have written that better" or "that really doesn't flow very well" or "I wouldn't have used that word in that context."

My "internal editor" had kicked in, and I found myself recognizing ways in which REAL writers could have made their works better -- "better" in my mind, at least.

There came a time when I'd be reading a book, and I said to myself, "I can do that. I can do better than that."

Maybe it's an ego thing. I've been told that a truly good writer has to be a little bit narcissistic -- something I readily admit to -- because, otherwise, what makes you think that your writing is worth someone else devoting their time and energy and attention to?

And I KNOW my stuff is worth it. I know it's good. And it's nice when other people tell me it's good, because the ultimate goal, for me as a writer, is to reach other minds.

But I would STILL know it's good, even if nobody ever said a word about it at all.

I think we all have some talents, and I think we all need to acknowledge what they are. And there's nothing wrong with saying "I'm good at ________" if you really ARE good at it.

My reality is that I'm only good at two things -- writing and playing hockey. But I'm pretty damn good at those two things.

You're pretty damn good at writing, too. You just haven't fully assimilated that fact yet. It takes time.

Perhaps. But this seems to go beyond simply doubting it.

I just can't even allow the idea itself for more than a couple of seconds at a time.

* shrugs *

How about this. I have read books from "acclaimed" writers that were absolutely trash and if you would ask me to judge that person based on that book, I would have told them they better try their luck with golf or soccer.

Your problem is with being afraid of criticism and you think you supposed to please everyone. That's impossible. Forget about that. Forget about what others say about your book, good or bad. What matters is if you like it or not and deep down if you really think about it, you wrote it because you wanted to write it and to express yourself and tell what you want to tell. If you, personally are not pleased with the book, then change what you don't like in it. Don't write it for others in mind, write it for yourself.

This is actually something kinda personal...but it's something that has been kinda bugging me lately.

Anyone have any ideas how to get past this crap???

I understand that.

But there are some who may feel....I don't know if obliged would be the right word but that's as close as I can get....that they don't want to discourage a complete stranger.

Anyway...I am just gonna stop posting in this thread before people start thinking I am some kind of self pitying wretch. lol

This is actually something kinda personal...but it's something that has been kinda bugging me lately.

Some of you who look in here may know that I have been writing a ( what I am planning on finishing as ) a book.

I have posted quite a bit of it here for people to see.

Before I say any more I want to point out that this is NOT, in ANY way, an attempt to get more people to read it. So please don't take it that way.



Now, some of the people who have read it have been people from the few that I truly consider friends. Some have been people who don't know me at all.

But the response, whether or not they know me, has been overwhelmingly positive. They have all told me that I have a talent.

The problem is this....

I cannot seem to bring myself to accept that they are actually serious. I cannot accept the fact that I may, indeed, have some talent.

It seems to me, in my head, that the people who have told me that they enjoyed my work, did so simply because they didn't want to discourage me, even if they didn't particularly like the writing.

I want to say, to everyone that has given me positive feedback, that I truly do appreciate it. My thoughts are nothing personal, or any indictment of your honesty.

It's just my own head that won't allow me to accept the idea that I could actually be good at something like writing.

All I can really say, to myself most times is, WTF is wrong with me???

Anyone have any ideas how to get past this crap???

Send it to me, I'll give you honest feedback. Could be what you said that they don't want to discourage you, or you could be that good. I'm good at critiquing writing, so if you want you could send it to me and I'll give you honest feedback on it...keep in mind though that I will also critique based on spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. But you said you want it to be a book, so it could be a good thing for you.

Shshssh this is not one of those nice guy threads is it?