Warning: This post contains LOTS of pictures of my animals.
Sometimes it’s all too easy to get lost in the mechanics of writing, and we lose sight of what’s important: the reader, the story, the feeling we get when we hear what the reader thinks of our story. These are the most important things to me as a writer.
Lately I’ve been dealing with a bout of “I Suck Syndrome” or ISS. I know we’ve all been there. In keeping with this month’s theme, I thought I’d create a list of symptoms and remedies.
SYMPTOMS
- Taking NUMEROUS pictures of animals (I mean, they’re so cute. How could you not?)
- Obsessive email/Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest checking (also known as procrastination)
- You find yourself confused or feel like you don’t belong (kind of like my cat chilling in the dog’s crate)
- Heart palpitations whenever thinking about your story
- Random outbursts of “OH MY GOD I NEED CHOCOLATE NOW!”
- Cleaning the house (whenever I clean the house I ask myself, “What am I avoiding?”)
- Tears (nuff said)
- Sudden impulses to delete lots of pages at a time (just make sure you save them!)
- The “I suck” song that plays over and over in your head like a singalong song
- Literally saying, “I suck!” out loud whenever you look over your story
- Writing, deleting, writing, deleting, writing, deleting (you get the idea), because nothing you write that
day seems good enough - The feeling of being trapped, but you don’t know what to do about it
- You find yourself buying more bottles of wine or beer
- The nagging voice in your head refuses to go away
REMEDIES
- Numerous trips to the froyo place (red velvet cake batter mixed with caramel is the best combination EVER)
- A chat with a good friend who will make you laugh no matter your mood
- Pictures of animals (can you tell this is therapeutic for me?)
- Video games (killing zombies always helps)
- Reading a book by your favorite author
- Hugs
- Chocolate
- The Hugs-and-Chocolate community
We love you all, and we hope you know it. - Curling up with a movie
- Cotton candy
- Sleep (we often forget we need sleep, and sometimes sleep makes us feel so much better
- Coffee or tea
- Treat yourself to your favorite meal,a pedicure, something to pamper yourself
- A walk through a museum
- Wine
- Have I mentioned animals?
Do I feel like this all the time? Of course not. But it’s much easier to remember days I think, “Wow. That paragraph was nothing but a bunch of self indulgent garbage,” over days when I think, “Hey, that’s not half bad!”. I Suck Syndrome is far from fun. In fact, it scares fun away into a dark corner. We as creative folks tend to be extra hard on ourselves. If our work doesn’t pass our own eyes then how can we expect it to pass the eyes of our readers? That’s just it. Sometimes we may have blinders over our eyes. We get so close to our own work that we can’t see the forest for the trees. We can’t see our story for how it really is, which is never as bad as we think.
If you can, seek encouragement. Talk it out if it helps. I know that sometimes I want to be alone. I’ll wallow in it for a bit, and then pick myself back up and keep going. I’ve gotten to know a lot of our readers pretty well, and I know there’s a fire in your belly that keeps you writing your stories. This is what you want more than anything. You tell I Suck Syndrome that it’s not going to get the best of you. You’re going to continue writing your brilliant story, and people are going to love it. In fact, they already do. Back it up into a corner so it goes into hiding.
Courtney Koschel has been writing since she could hold a crayon. She has worked as a journalist, editor, technical writer, and technical editor. Young adult fiction is near and dear to her heart, which is why she writes YA and all of its glorious sub-genres.
Tonia Marie Houston is a mother, writer, poet, bookworm, and blogger. When sheís not chasing her three spider monkeys, she spends her time revising a young adult novel about life after death and second chances. Though she began to pursue her career later in life, she hopes to inspire and motivate other writers to put their best book forward.
This native Texan now lives with her Scottish hubby in North Ayrshire, Scotland, where she wanders the moors in search of William Wallace. She has been a guest blogger on Writer Unboxed and is currently working on the sequel to her YA supernatural novel, Touched by Darkness.
Jamie Raintree writes what she likes to call everyday fairytale love stories, featuring the little moments in life that are truly magical. She lives in Arizona with her husband and daughter and is currently editing her second novel.
Jani Grey is a South African ambivert, writer, reader, optimist, and bacon enthusiast. When her boss isnít looking she writes, revises, or edits YA Urban Fantasies in between work. Sheís sneaky like that. Sheís a NaNoWriMo addict and is currently working on two NaNo novels.
Rebecca Fields is a modern gypsy, roaming from place to place in search of ñ well, sheíll let you know when she finds it. Writing has become a way for her to share her adventures, both real and imagined. Along with her on her journey are her son and an assortment of rescued animals.
karenselliott
May 11, 2012 at 12:41 pm
You’re funny, Courtney. I have ISS enough to take medication for it. But it does seem to go in seasons…like for a couple weeks…then suddenly I’m cured…then back to the ISS. Getting a new dream client is good (which I just got, yea!). I wish I had a museum to walk through – I’m in the boonies, for sure! Reading makes me happy, when I can find a good book. I watch documentaries – all sorts – or forensic shows, and I might suddenly have a great idea. My biggest treat is spending time with grandkids (two little boys). That seems to make all the tension and ISS just melt away.
Courtney Koschel
May 11, 2012 at 10:10 pm
Congrats on getting a dream client
And your ways of coping with ISS sound lovely. Like I said (and as this blog post suggests) I like to spend time with my animals and take their picture a ridiculous number of times, lol. Glad you enjoyed the post. Hopefully it made you smile!
vaughnroycroft
May 11, 2012 at 5:26 pm
Lest I seem the complaining, glass half full, sort of writer, I hesitate to admit just how often I suffer from ISS. This has been one of the hardest gigs of my life. I’m not afraid of hard work, but battling those voices in your head in addition to the hard work makes it all infinitely more exhausting.
Thanks to y’all for being there. Heaven knows it helps. As the Beatles famously sang, “I’ll get by with a little help with my friends, Gonna try with a little help from my friends.”
Courtney Koschel
May 11, 2012 at 10:13 pm
I suffer from this a lot, too, Vaughn. And I agree with you 100% — this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s also the most rewarding. It can definitely wear us out, but like you, I’m so thankful to be a part of such a fabulous writing community. Thank you for being awesome
vaughnroycroft
May 12, 2012 at 9:03 am
Um, I meant ‘glass-half-empty’ but you got my drift. Maybe I’m subconciously more optimisitic than I realize. Amen on ‘most rewarding’ part, Courtney. Thanks for the reminder.
Rebecca
May 11, 2012 at 7:12 pm
You know I have issues with this a lot, but lately – I’ve been doing better. I’d still never say I’m a good writer, but I’ve made it past the point of mass deletions. You’re a fabulous writer, Courtney. Don’t let the negative feelings make you doubt yourself. You can do this. You’re so close!
Courtney Koschel
May 11, 2012 at 10:18 pm
Well I know for a fact that you’re a fabulous writer
But thank you for the kind words, hun. Seriously, it means a lot. The negative feelings are good at weaseling their way into our minds. It’s hard to shut them out. You don’t let them get to you, either. Glad we have each other to help keep them at bay.
Heather Reid
May 12, 2012 at 3:04 am
Courtney, thank you for this awesome post! Seriously, ISS is such an issue for me, even worse since getting a publishing deal. Go figure! It’s the hardest part about being a writer. Your list of remedies is awesome. Killing zombies is top on my list along with walks on the beach, movies, chocolate and of course my writing friends. You guys are the best!
Courtney, I think you are an AMAZING writer and editor. You inspire me to work hard and do better every day. Thank you for being there for the Hugs and Chocolate community and for being willing to share your ISS so that we don’t feel alone. *hugs and chocolate*
Courtney Koschel
May 12, 2012 at 8:55 am
I’ve talked to several authors who say ISS never goes away, but it does become more bearable. That’s something, right? A beach walk sounds pretty fantastic right about now. My favorite is going into the mountains. It’s peaceful and serene.
Aw, I appreciate that, hun. Thank you for being here for the community as well. I know your book is going to be fabulous, and I can’t wait to see it on the shelf
Nicole L. Bates
May 12, 2012 at 6:36 am
Great post Courtney. The symptoms list made me laugh, and cringe a little. I didn’t think I was suffering from ISS, but I seem to display several of those behaviors on your list
Great pictures of your animals too!
Courtney Koschel
May 12, 2012 at 8:57 am
Thank you, Nicole! I laughed and cringed when I wrote the list! Some days are definitely better than others. My animals say, “Hello and good morning!” They’re all sleeping beside me at the moment
Thanks for stopping by!
Tonia Marie Houston
May 12, 2012 at 8:56 am
I know I have ISS when I’d rather find a new tv show on Netflix to feed my addiction. One Tree Hill or Supernatural, anyone? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve re-written my beginning. Yesterday, I tried to move forward, and hit that delete button more often than any other key. Oy.
Like Heather, you inspire me to be a better writer and this post reminds me of what a great community we have. It also reminded me that I’m hardly alone with my ISS. I really do believe we as creatives are harder on ourselves than most.
One thing I’m doing to combat that nasty Critic Nag Dude- writing by hand, in my journal. I can’t hit the delete button and it’s theraputic. Plus, I can still call myself a writer at the end of the day, because I have written.
I love my H&C peeps.
Courtney Koschel
May 12, 2012 at 9:01 am
I do that, too! I’ll sometimes even do it in the “name of research.” Really I’m just procrastinating because that’s easier than facing my ISS sometimes. Don’t beat yourself up too bad over hitting the delete key a bit. Sometimes deleting is our progress for the day.
I also write longhand. It actually helps me with my creativity. I was reading a research article about writing longhand vs. computer. It said that when writing longhand, we have to slow down our thought process more, therefore enhancing creativity. I totally agree with this. Glad to hear it helps you as well!
Thank you for being awesome, Tonia. All of you inspire me on a daily basis
I absolutely love the community we have.
bwtaylor75
May 12, 2012 at 10:10 am
Hey, I have a cat like that! Only mine is a bit more white. My dog chased the poor guy up a tree. I put a bowl of food outside and he showed up. I opened the door and he walked right in. His name is Sarge, and the vet said another week or two and he would have starved to death. You could feel all of his bones, and he was missing a big patch of fur around his right eye. Thankfully, the hair grew back. I’ve had him for a year and a half. He’s doing great now.
ISS is a good acromyn, but maybe it stands for Inexperienced, Struggling, and Strong-willed. Let’s turn that frown upsidedown!
Love the picture of your dog using the cat for a pillow. AWESOMESAUCE!!!!!!
Jamie Raintree
May 14, 2012 at 11:43 pm
Ooo…I agree with bwtaylor! I love that acronym!
Whenever I’m having a bout of ISS, I just call my best friend and biggest fan and she 1) tells me to snap out of it and 2) helps me brainstorm.
I love her.
Jani
May 18, 2012 at 9:28 am
I can’t believe I haven’t commented, Courtney. It must be because we talked about this right before you posted it. Thankfully I’m over my own ISS(I used a few of your remedies) and are happyily rewriting at the moment. I’ll keep this on hand for when I feel the blues again.