43 Comments
User's avatar
Michelle Brown's avatar

I can absolutely relate! I actually just wrote about this in my most recent post if you’d like to see how I dealt with the doubt

Matthew's avatar

Find a well-read friend and ask her/him to read 1 chapter and not be afraid to tell you what he/she thinks... Good luck

Mallory Stock's avatar

Yeah I'm definitely planning on doing that in an upcoming draft! And thanks (:

Cam North's avatar

"The first draft of anything is shit" —- Hemingway

I learned to love editing. From my experience, I know I’m done editing when I love my book again.

Mallory Stock's avatar

That’s a good way to gauge when it’s done! And I agree, I love editing too

Lee Addison Smyth's avatar

I know that certain areas of my draft are rotten, but I also am able to find those shafts of light in other parts that keep me going! It’s a good thing to see the problems!

Mallory Stock's avatar

I think that's so important to notice the good parts! Because then it increases your belief that you are capable of good writing, as you have parts of your story that are good. I need to be better about doing that

Lee Addison Smyth's avatar

It can be hard sometimes, I know! But there are gems in that manuscript!

Elizabeth Aman's avatar

Wow I can relate! I just jumped into editing my first draft - which for right now just looks like reading through it and taking notes. And it is hard! It's hard to keep having faith in a project when you can see all its flaws.

Mallory Stock's avatar

Yes, it can be such a mental battle! Wishing you the best of luck with your read-through and editing (:

James the Scrivener's avatar

Great post and advice. Thank you for these important reminders. Art is revision, and it is a humbling process. Keep going. It will be worth it in the end. 👍

Mallory Stock's avatar

It is definitely humbling haha but yes as long as we don't give up we will get there!

Lyss's avatar

Brilliant. Trust your skill development ... Brilliant insight.

Mallory Stock's avatar

I'm glad you liked it (:

Shannon Parsons's avatar

This is incredible advice that I’ve seen other people use unintentionally and never understood it. This has put it into a whole new perspective and I plan to use it myself from now on

Mallory Stock's avatar

Ahh good I'm glad it helped shift things for you! Sometimes we just need to hear the same advice said in a different way for it to really stick

Aut Scott's avatar

Keep going! You got this!

Jay VanLandingham's avatar

I love the belief part. Believing is half the battle.

Mallory Stock's avatar

It really is!

Adam P Farnsworth's avatar

This was great! I really needed to read "base your confidence on your beliefs, not on your abilities" today!

Mallory Stock's avatar

Oh good I'm glad it helped!!

Maya Laurent's avatar

Right there with you as I'm on my third edit as well. I keep putting off going back to it and finding more writing books to consume. Thanks for the reminder to go back to it!

Mallory Stock's avatar

Yes! There's definitely a time and place for learning more about the craft of writing, but at some point it's because we're procrastinating haha. And besides, the best way to learn about the craft of writing is to just do it and keep practicing. Good luck with your edits!

Soft Apocalypse's avatar

Good Advice... I cannot see myself as a best-selling author. But I'd love to be a controversial one.

Mallory Stock's avatar

I love that goal (:

Matthew's avatar

Oh my novels (4, self published) are nothing if not controversial 😱😂

Your handle is familiar. Do I know you on X (Twitter)? 🤔🤔

Mandy Olivier's avatar

Water your soul with the Holy heavenly music 👑🙏🏻💝🎶🌷

Mandy Olivier's avatar

This is real Christian music 🎶 🎵 🎶 🙏🏻🌷💝🥇👑🌹,

farahnaaz's avatar

It`s all about a well followed routine and self discipline if this is there everything works for good.

I usually get up early before dawn to write my thoughts and stories and i also love writing and it is not difficult for me to read my manuscript many times if it interests me and if iam passionate about it and want to share it with the world. Creativity is infinite it is not limited to few it can be found in many if you sincerely search it learn through it and be consistent in your tasks daily. One day success will kiss you for sure.

Valerio Zanini's avatar

I can relate to this.

I sent my first draft to friends and collected their feedback. I was proud of what I had accomplished.

Now, I'm on draft 6, and looking back I should have been embarrassed to share the first draft. But thankfully I did, because I learned a lot and kept me in motion