Authors Deserve to Feel Good, Too

Today's post is a pick-me-up post. We're going to see if we can make ourselves feel good. We deserve to feel good -- don't you think?

According to Ricky Nelson's "Garden Party" -- "You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." (Okay. He wasn't the first to say that -- just the one with the catchiest song to go along with it. See YouTube link above.)

Regardless of its source, this saying is a good reminder for everyone -- especially for authors. It's too easy for authors to over-emphasize negative reviews of our work. We need to remember that ALL authors receive bitter criticism -- at least all authors whose books get read.

Here's a great article by Michelle Kerns at examiner.com entitled "The 50 best author vs. author put-downs of all time." Give it a read and see examples of harsh criticisms the world's best authors have endured from fellow writers. It'll make you feel better.

Then, after you've perused Michelle's article, I want you to consider how many people you know who have actually published a book. If you're like me, you have more than enough fingers on one hand to count them off. Publishing a book by any means whatsoever is a monumental achievement. You just gotta feel good about that!

If an acquaintance points out to you that you have typos (or other errors) in your book, you could be snide and ask to see their latest 90,000 word error-free work. Or you could do as I do, and say, "Thanks for pointing that out. I'm working hard at perfecting my editing."

And the next time someone offers you their uninvited critique of your book's plot, characters, subject matter, etc., just tell them, "Thanks. I really appreciate your reading my work. You should check out my new book ___________."

Then shake off the negative vibes and get back to writing your book, always remembering that, at a minimum, it's better than theirs.

And here's one more thing you can do as a mood lifter. I've borrowed an excellent life axiom from evangelist Joyce Meyer. I tell it to myself often. You should, too. Here it is (to the best of my recollection): "I'm not where I need to be; but I'm sure not where I was. I'm okay and I'm on my way." Just repeating that phrase to myself ALWAYS picks me up when my self-image is flagging. Saying it out loud has more impact. But just thinking it helps, too.

Hope this post has given you some good reasons to feel good about yourself and your writing.

That's it for today.

But do me one favor, please. Always remember that you're okay, and you're on your way.

Cheers!

John