I just recently posted a short story on here for review; it's the first time I've ever done it. I can't believe how nervous it made me! I posted it in the appropriate place on the forum then got on with cooking my dinner. But I had to keep nipping upstairs to the computer and checking if anyone had read or critiqued it. I was soooo nervous! I think the nerves are partly from just posting it up there for all to see (eek!), and partly worrying what would others think and say/write about it. Would I be told it's the best thing ever written(!!) or would it be ripped to shreds......? Cripes! I had no idea it would be so nerve-wracking. Is it just me?... biddy
Recently I read a writing exercise book by Gail Carson Levine (author of "Ella Enchanted") and she described how in her writing group she would volunteer to speak first just to delay the awful moment she would be critiqued. You'd think a published author, Newbery awardee, would be a little more confident, or used to it, or something! Speaking as someone who used to be so shy of people looking at me that I'd rather miss a class than be late to it if I didn't know the people well (because when you're late, everybody's already in there and they always turn to look at who just came into the door, and if I didn't know them I'd assume they were Judging) any room with a review going on in it -- homeroom on report card day, workshop venues, rehearsal areas, and at home with my mom constantly looking over my shoulder to see how I'm doing with whatever I'm doing and needling, "Wouldn't it be better if...? Don't you think that...?" (translation: "It's completely ruined. You never think.") -- became a special circle of Hell that Dante must have missed. I'm a lot thicker-skinned now, even enjoy feedback, but I remember what it's like to be one big raw rattling nerve.
My writing has been torn to shreds so many times that I'm inured to criticism. Actually look forward to it, because then I can see how to put the shreds back together. All too often, I get so carried away with my writing that I can't see the forest for the trees, so to speak. I'll go find your submission and see what's up. JohnB
It's not just you, biddy. It's natural, after you have put in your best effort, to be apprehensive about what other people will think of that effort. If you are realistic, you know that there will be areas that need or could benefit from improvement, and to winder if you will be up to the challenge. There's no magic to writing. Some may find it easier than others to make the thoughts flow to the paper in a way that preserves your vision, but a lot of it comes down to how willing you are to work at it and keep learning from as many sources as possible.
Oh Biddy, IT'S NOT JUST YOU! I'm new here and I put my baby in the wrong place and then I misunderstood stuff so I had a nervous I-needed-to-take-a-break down about it and so on and so on. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one to worry, although I'm probably the worst. Now I have to go to my brand new never-tried-this-before Yoga lessons. Bye!
Believe me , it's not just you. I'm so nervous about turning in my work that every time I do it I constantly check about every 5 minutes for a comment on it. I even have fantasies (or maybe daymares) about people laughing at my work. I guess it's just part of writing.
I've posted two small pieces of writing on here and I did the same thing. I would also flip out when it said Replies: 1. Or Views: 2. It's no where near just you =D
