If you’re a writer, why did you start writing?
Was it always an innate need? Were you inspired by the brilliance of others? Was one creative pursuit given up to try out writing? Or did you read a book and thought, ‘How the fuck in God’s name did anyone publish that bullshit?‘
I think I’m a combination. Inspired by brilliance to start with and then inspired by hate to self-publish because I read a couple of novels which I thought were not only not as good as my first novel but, like, really bad. Boring. Drearily derivative.
I thought, ‘I can do better than that.‘
That’s a powerful thought; a revolutionary act.
I’m standing on the shoulders of giants so I can hammer a point chisel straight into their brains.
This turned out to be a good thing because even though I was having no success sending out my manuscript to agents and publishers, it did give me the self-confidence to go out there and self-publish my first novel, ‘In A Right State‘.
I shielded myself with the thought that no matter what feedback I get, I know in my heart that it’s better than a handful of books I’ve read which have been printed by established publishing houses.
NO. I’m not going to say which books inspired the hate, karma’s a bitch!
Comparing yourself to great writers or writers you love may inhibit your own writing, or stop you from making that start into self-publishing. Maybe embracing the hate might give you that push you need to finish your work, get your work out there, and then start on the next project.
Find a book you hate and learn to love what it can do for you.
