Perception In Our Writing Life

Yesterday's post addressed The Ugly Three--fear, doubt and beating up on yourself.  There are definitely times in our lives where circumstances do affect our outlook and open the door to let The Ugly Three move right into our house. 

Not easy to fight all three at one time. The advice from this pretty little bird is one way to combat the problem. Consider the possibility that the way you perceive things makes a difference in the way you deal with The Ugly Three.

If rejections have increased those fears and doubts, it's up to you to sweep those feelings away and dwell on the good things. Rejections are not all bad. They allow us to find our problem areas. Some writers have great things to say but use all passive verbs and no adjectives to write their piece or they constantly repeat words. Instead of the worthy parts coming across to the reader, what you've written becomes boring. When you receive a rejection, pull out the story, essay or article and read it carefully. What do you see in the mechanics that might have turned the editor off in a hurry? Do another thorough edit of your own. 

Cut repetitious information; fix those other mechanical errors. Do a slice and save. Save all the good parts and rewrite what is needed. Then, submit again to a different editor. You'll reap benefits in doing this instead of beating up on yourself. 

At the risk of looking like Pollyanna, I urge all writers to use as many positives in their writing journey as they can. Sure, there are bumps along your path but your attitude toward and perception of same make a big difference in the outcome. Positives boost your spirits while negatives drag you down. 

Did you ever consider that negative remarks about your writing (made by you) could be excuses? You might be looking for a way to get out of rewriting, more editing, or even starting from scratch. It's a lot easier to sit in your chair and grouse than it is to do a rewrite. 

Sometimes we cannot change what is occurring to us or around us. If a situation in your writing life appears to be affecting your ability to write, or your desire to write, step back and consider the perception factor. How we see things can be bigger than we sometimes realize.