Heather S. Ingemar on Confidence
So you took a leap of faith and wrote a story. Hell, you even edited it and polished it until you’re certain it’s perfect. But now, you find that manuscript sneaking toward the darkest end of your file drawer. You tell yourself that you only wrote it for fun, or that it’s for your enjoyment only, but the words feel hollow.
Sharing your work with someone else can feel like the hardest or scariest thing on earth. Those are your words, after all, and what if that other person doesn’t like them? Here are some things to consider before letting that story go hide with the dust bunnies forever:
- You are not your work. Sure, you wrote those words, you imagined the plot. But characters do tend to have a mind of their own, and you have to remember that your characters’ actions are not necessarily your actions. Also, most readers identify with the characters – not the author.
- We all need an extra pair of eyes. The truth is, none of us are perfect, and we all make mistakes we can’t see. Regardless if it is helping spot typos or plot holes, having someone read your work will help it become more polished. They’ll help you catch the things you miss.
- If you love something, let it go. Especially if you’re serious about seeking publication, you have to get used to the idea of other people reading your work. Consider the last, best book you just read. Where would you be if that author never let it go free? Your story could very well be the same.
Sharing your work can feel like a bad idea. But with the right critique partners and with an open mind, the benefits to your writing can be limitless.
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The woman known as Heather S. Ingemar is a bestselling author of dark short stories for teens and adults and an accomplished folk musician. She loves coffee, tea, intravenous Mountain Dew, cats, and motorcycles. She is currently at work on her next tale, or maybe avoiding work by shooting around canyon corners on her Suzuki Savage LS650.
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Join Heather for her next stop on her
‘Spooky Times’ Blog Tour, October 30th at The Dark Phantom Review!
http://thedarkphantom.wordpress.com/
To learn more about Heather S. Ingemar, please visit her website:
http://ingemarwrites.wordpress.com/
Don’t miss Heather’s recent release:
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Journey of the Heart 
Heather, you are so right on all counts! One of my happiest moments as a writer was when my husband read one of my stories that had a male protagonist, and he gave me his edits saying, of the author, he did this and he worded it that way. We’ve been married long enough for him to KNOW I’m not a he, but it showed me I had done a good job disappearing behind my pov character. 🙂
You’ve given great advice to fledgling writers–or long-time writers still hesitant about letting that manuscript out of the house.
Wonderful post!
Thank you, Marian. 🙂
It can definitely be a large leap of faith to let someone read your stuff — but people have to remember that while it can be scary, it can also be very rewarding. 🙂
Thank you, Karen! 🙂