Скачать или смотреть How to Regain Confidence in Your Writing Project

I know a lot of writers who are pit bulls when it comes to quality. They latch on and don't let go until they've produced something they're proud of. It's an admirable trait, but most of those same writers can be extremely critical of themselves.

These are smart, talented people who become so consumed by their work that they lose all ability to judge it accurately—and so attack it viciously.

This highly determined, self-critical mindset is how many of us writers operate, and it's mostly effective. We build resilience and a keen sense of what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately, there comes a time in every project when it stops working.

Suddenly, we find ourselves subjecting each word to the most cynical self-talk and trading the joy of expression for the pursuit of what sounds least bad. When this happens, the only way to see things clearly is to step away. Way, way, way away.

Exercise. Read. Rest. Write something else. Whatever it takes to release negativity and regain your grip on reality. And if you'll do that, you'll return to your project and:

1. Realize you were being ridiculously hard on yourself
2. Identify what wasn't working and fix it fast

Your dogged determination to write well is commendable, but you have to learn to use it constructively—not to tear yourself down.