C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

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Insecurities 2013

December 4, 2013 By C. Lee McKenzie 33 Comments

Thanks to ALEX CAVANAUGH

As the year 2013 comes to an end I’m reassessing the INSECURITIES that plagued me. These are the ones I drag around in a big sack; others only nibble at my heels like annoying puppies. 
  • I’ll never finish writing this book.
  • If I do sell this, reviewers may shred it.
  • It’s not as good as my last book.
  • It’s not as good as X’s book!
  • No one will read this book.
  • I can’t write worth (fill in blank).
  • Why did I ever think I could write? 
Are any of these familiar? May 2014 see some of these fade or disappear entirely.  

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Alex Cavanaugh, Insecure Writer

Comments

  1. Medeia Sharif says

    December 12, 2013 at 12:35 am

    All of these have run through my mind. I stomp these thoughts out, but they do return.

    Reply
  2. TBM says

    December 9, 2013 at 10:11 am

    Yes all of these are familiar. Good luck this May!

    Reply
  3. DMS says

    December 9, 2013 at 3:45 am

    These are definitely familiar! I am with you though and hope they will go away in 2014. I usually try to stay positive- but thoughts do creep in and need to be dealt with from time to time. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Best of luck to you! Keep smiling!
    ~Jess

    Reply
  4. klahanie says

    December 6, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    Hi Lee,

    None of them are familiar in my mind. Then again, my writing is about sharing experiences with the one person who is reading whatever I wrote.

    I have no worries about comparing my writing to others. I write just for therapy and hope that my writing can be of help to others.

    That's it for me.

    All the best and stay smiling, even through gritted teeth.

    Your starstruckest fan,

    Gary!

    Reply
  5. M.L. Swift says

    December 5, 2013 at 5:40 pm

    Thanks for the well-wishes for 2014. Yes, I'm ready to toss in the towel for this year and start fresh. Loved the last one. I say it to myself all the time!

    M.L. Swift, Writer

    Reply
  6. Hilary Melton-Butcher says

    December 5, 2013 at 12:26 pm

    Hi Lee – a new beginning is what we need so often .. I'm getting that now – and you will too .. with thoughts – Hilary

    Reply
  7. Lexa Cain says

    December 5, 2013 at 7:14 am

    Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. I've been toiling half-heartedly with WIPs all year, along with this ringing in my ears: "It's not right. I can't write it. It'll never be good enough. Why can't I think up a great idea? I'm such a loser." I sure hope 2014 is nicer to us. *crossing fingers*

    Reply
  8. C. Lee McKenzie says

    December 5, 2013 at 5:41 am

    This is probably the best IWSG month I've had this year. What great comments! Thanks so much.

    Reply
  9. Beverly Fox says

    December 5, 2013 at 5:17 am

    I echo everyone f those insecurities or have in the very recent past). Here's hoping they do disappear as you gain confidence and success form great reviews and excitement.

    Reply
  10. Lynda R Young says

    December 5, 2013 at 4:54 am

    Ah yes, they pretty much all sound scarily familiar. I love your wish for 2014.

    Reply
  11. Michael Di Gesu says

    December 5, 2013 at 3:46 am

    WE'VE ALL been thereโ€ฆ But it's natural. Once we realize what we've accomplished those insecurities should slip into an dark and and be immediately covered never to be seen again!

    Reply
  12. Shannon Lawrence says

    December 5, 2013 at 3:27 am

    Yep, they sound quite familiar! In fact, I realized that part of the reason I wasn't writing was that I kept getting gripped with anxiety and thinking it was a joke that I was even doing this and "pretending" to be a writer. Messed up.

    The Warrior Muse

    Reply
  13. Natalie Aguirre says

    December 5, 2013 at 2:02 am

    Can so relate. You've got me curious about May 2014. A new book?

    Reply
  14. Kim Lajevardi says

    December 5, 2013 at 1:24 am

    Have you been crawling around inside my head? Unfortunately, insecurities are a big part of the deal we've struck with whatever being latched us to our keyboards. I'm still not sure if that's a benevolent being or not. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Great IWSG post!

    Reply
  15. Samantha Geary Jones says

    December 5, 2013 at 1:22 am

    You need to take that big sac and toss it off the nearest cliff *and tell those puppies to nip someone else's heels*! Now, go back to writing, cuz you're d^mn good at it!
    WriterlySam

    Reply
  16. River Fairchild says

    December 4, 2013 at 9:00 pm

    You must have stolen my list, Lee! I own all of those. ๐Ÿ™‚

    I do think the insecurities go with being a writer, though. We write because:
    A. Our emotions are closer to the surface.
    B.We are more keenly aware of our emotions.
    C. Or we are just plain nuts.

    Personally, I'll go with C.

    Reply
  17. Suzanne Furness says

    December 4, 2013 at 6:55 pm

    Oh yeah, very familiar. Think I've got a t-shirt somewhere with these written on! Wishing you success in 2014.

    Reply
  18. Julie Flanders says

    December 4, 2013 at 6:50 pm

    Yeah these are all very familiar to me too. Why do we do this to ourselves??

    Reply
  19. Georgina Morales says

    December 4, 2013 at 6:25 pm

    Yeah, we all go through that. I hate it. But the good news is you will finish that novel, you will receive good and bad comments, but you'll rise above all and you'll keep writing. Just have faith in yourself ๐Ÿ˜‰ Best of luck!

    Reply
  20. Elizabeth Seckman says

    December 4, 2013 at 5:41 pm

    You and I are sharing many of the same insecurities this month! On the bright, a little insecurity keeps us from getting too cocky, right?

    Reply
  21. S.K. Anthony says

    December 4, 2013 at 5:39 pm

    ooh count me in! This insecurity party seems perfect for meโ€ฆ. BUT you totally will conquer each fear and you will overcome them. I'm signing up for that better 2014 as well ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  22. M. J. Joachim says

    December 4, 2013 at 4:52 pm

    It's kind of like facing your fears and getting over them. Just do it! Let the chips fall where they may, but never regret not having enough fortitude to try. Here's to the release of your next book, Lee.

    Reply
  23. C. Lee McKenzie says

    December 4, 2013 at 4:42 pm

    I knew it! I'm not the only writer with those ideas on my back. Yay! Oh, wait. That's what IWSG is all about, isn't it? Thanks all for stopping and giving me the support I need. Now I'm off to do the same for all of you.

    Reply
  24. Michelle Wallace says

    December 4, 2013 at 3:41 pm

    Crikey. Some of those never go away!
    Do they?
    I guess not. *sigh*
    Writer In Transit

    Reply
  25. Catherine Stine says

    December 4, 2013 at 3:24 pm

    Oh, lordie, I've experienced all of those awful emotions, and no, not sure it ever goes away totally–maybe declines into a dull ache??

    Reply
  26. Diana Wilder says

    December 4, 2013 at 3:13 pm

    Yeowtch! Sounds familiar! Toss 'em, as Alex said!

    Reply
  27. Morgan Katz says

    December 4, 2013 at 3:04 pm

    Funny- I have the EXACT same worries and insecurities!!You are not alone.

    http://www.morgankatz595.blogspot.com

    Reply
  28. ~Sia McKye~ says

    December 4, 2013 at 2:12 pm

    Sounds pretty normal to me, lol! I think each can bite us at any given time. What's interesting is once we conquer each creative project, our list changes dramatically. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Sia McKye Over Coffee

    Reply
  29. Bish Denham says

    December 4, 2013 at 1:40 pm

    *raises hand* Can I join you in the corner for insecure writers? At least I'll be in good company. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  30. Cecilia Robert says

    December 4, 2013 at 1:33 pm

    That is me up there. Some days the insecurities are so distracting, I end up not meeting my goals for the day. So when that happens, I step away from writing/editing, breath in, watch a movie or take a nap. Usually things look better after that.

    Reply
  31. Sarah Foster says

    December 4, 2013 at 1:07 pm

    Ha, I think every writer thinks those things, probably on a daily basis. It's when you're actually not thinking about them that you get some writing done.

    Reply
  32. Alex J. Cavanaugh says

    December 4, 2013 at 1:06 pm

    Been there, thought that!
    Reassess them and then toss them, Lee.

    Reply
  33. Angela Brown says

    December 4, 2013 at 1:05 pm

    I must say that all of the above are very familiar. VERY familiar indeed. But I keep writing anyway. I keep giving my characters an avenue to speak. Why? Because, with insecurities and all, I love it and I just can't help myself. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply

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