tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post6628255408867839506..comments2024-03-26T23:41:10.319+00:00Comments on Authors Electric: Illogical Positivism: N M BrowneKatherine Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-14875184621949359792016-04-29T18:56:07.283+01:002016-04-29T18:56:07.283+01:00There is so much here which echoes inside my brain...There is so much here which echoes inside my brain. Yet I found Cattherine's post persuasive as well. If wwe can look at ourselves objectively, I don't see how we can doubt ovur talent. We're members of this blog for a start and there are a lot who would like to take our places. That should cheer us up a bit. Anyway, I've just received a validation of a sort. Someone has asked, through an agency, that I would ghost-write his youung adult fantasy for him. Now why would he do that? I don't know but I feel a rush of self-justification coming onDennis Hamleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08003209263201885118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-52077427772998704612016-04-29T18:24:34.366+01:002016-04-29T18:24:34.366+01:00I'm sort of with Catherine, in as much as I...I'm sort of with Catherine, in as much as I've reached a state of mind which says, 'Who cares anyway? - Lord, what fools these mortals be.'Susan Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07738737493756183909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-58757800883189560172016-04-29T18:11:04.963+01:002016-04-29T18:11:04.963+01:00I know this feeling. I've been working on my s...I know this feeling. I've been working on my suicide note for years, but I just can't get it right. Umberto Tosihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04939504157464234443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-31290576701578687642016-04-29T17:57:29.386+01:002016-04-29T17:57:29.386+01:00Yes I can relate to this, and especially recently,...Yes I can relate to this, and especially recently, when I completely re-wrote/edited etc etc my long-ago first adult novel, because encountering that starry-eyed much younger self so totally in love with words has been chastening.<br />Enid Richemonthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17218197995089241666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-56736817212034690342016-04-29T16:21:53.398+01:002016-04-29T16:21:53.398+01:00I encounter a great many people, esp on facebook, ...I encounter a great many people, esp on facebook, who are totally confident that they are geniuses or at least they give that impression... I do recognise some of what you say, imposter syndrome is quite often apparent in writers especially women, and also, I tend to undervalue my own achievements. Something which seemed out of reach and amazing, which I then achieve, makes me feel that it couldn't have been all that amazing since I've managed it, so I then raise the bar and move on to the next thing. I enjoyed reading the post though!Lydia Bennethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09328239009863878547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-77080883555963807682016-04-29T13:19:15.722+01:002016-04-29T13:19:15.722+01:00I actually think, on the whole, it's probably ...I actually think, on the whole, it's probably a pretty good thing if we do beat ourselves up occasionally - that lack of satisfaction spurs us to try to do better. I'm deeply suspicious of the over-confident, too, because what motivation is there for them to try harder? It's hard to strike a balance, but perhaps Catherine's third group - those who accept that they're good enough - is close. Then again, I too long ago accepted the "logic of negativity"... :-)Mari Biellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14221256993468150226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-6571460603269089242016-04-29T10:59:58.993+01:002016-04-29T10:59:58.993+01:00Don't entirely agree with this. I don't be...Don't entirely agree with this. I don't beat myself up about the craft of writing and I'm neither American, nor male, nor illiterate. I'd agree that success in any area of life - especially extreme success - tends to breed 'imposter syndrome' - especially among women, sadly.'Why am I here when other people can do it better?' And as anyone who has ever taught creative writing knows, the least competent are often the most confident and vice versa. But if - as professionals - we can accept that we may be 'good enough' in our chosen field, then, like being a good enough parent, that should be and often is enough. If we really believed all the put-downs along the way and added chronic self doubt, even in the face of a certain amount of success, then we might as well give up and go and do something that makes us happier. Throughout my whole switchback of a career, it honestly never occurred to me to think that I had no talent - although I also learned, sometimes the hard way, to acknowledge what I could and couldn't do, what I wasn't very competent at. What I should learn how to do better and what were not and never would be my strong suits. We all have wobbles - everyone does. I'm sure there are some days when a brain surgeon, mid op, thinks 'what the hell am I doing here?' But I think this is different from believing in your heart that whatever you do is no good. And who, in such circumstances, would ever venture to self publish?Catherine Czerkawskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14554969254207924049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-69429585142904839982016-04-29T09:41:44.651+01:002016-04-29T09:41:44.651+01:00Damn - I should never have discovered sailing!Damn - I should never have discovered sailing!Jan Needlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823078224282953782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-74718356622897313592016-04-29T09:00:36.771+01:002016-04-29T09:00:36.771+01:00Brilliantly put. This is so true. Add to that anyo...Brilliantly put. This is so true. Add to that anyone who does manage to sell shed-loads of books think it will all come crashing to a halt any day now. I think you have summed up the feelings of all writers perfectlyWendy H. Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04022089775887274043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-62974564980136731512016-04-29T08:55:06.809+01:002016-04-29T08:55:06.809+01:00Loved it, N.M. In the best absurdist traditions, y...Loved it, N.M. In the best absurdist traditions, you're clearly descended from Sisyphus. For some reason, it reminded me of Beckett's 'Malone Dies' (I think - but I'm too lazy to look it up). If I remember correctly, and in case you don't know it, Malone's in bed with only a notebook, stub of pencil and his stick. He'd love to know what's going on outside his room, in the corridor, in the street. Then, realisation strikes and there's an elegiac, hope-infused passage about how he could use his stick as a sort of punting pole because the bed's on castors. He could push it to the window, look out, see the outside world...<br /><br />Then there's a wee gap in the narrative and the next section begins 'I've lost my stick'.Bill Kirtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16345949773423764808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-23778030729538634922016-04-29T08:04:43.689+01:002016-04-29T08:04:43.689+01:00This post is so painfully true I think I might hav...This post is so painfully true I think I might have it made into a tapestry and hang it over my bed. Which suggests, N.M.Browne, that you may be a talented writer after all.Andrew Croftshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16101696875255886422noreply@blogger.com