Epiphanies On The March

[lathriel]

Apparently I'm post-happy today.

So I just realized something about myself as a writer, in relation to my realization about myself last week, how I am so ungrounded in my sense of self. In the same way that I have a tendency to lose myself as a person or a witch or a whatever when I do things in a community, so too do I tend to lose my self-confidence in my own writing when I compare myself to my peers.

Silly, I know.

For the most part I am a very confident writer, for the simple fact that it seems to be the one thing I do that legitimately impresses people. I also have had my proud moments, and I try to keep the memories of those moments clear and close to the surface. But when I do begin to doubt my skills as a writer, it's usually because I've just read something really really good, and that author's style is nothing like my own.

I need to remember that an author's voice and style is just as important as the story and characters, and the wrong author for the wrong story creates a poor work of fiction. I don't believe that the wrong story ever comes to the wrong author, but to try to force yourself to change because you admired another author's work is like trying to force your baby to have blonde hair and blue eyes when you and your mate have brown hair and brown eyes. Or something along those lines. Genetic manipulation is scary. Anyway.

I feel refreshed having discovered that. I don't think it will happen anymore. :)

Comments

[roofpig13.livejournal.com]

I totally get this. Whenever I read a novel by someone who has a much more poetic or flourishing way of writing, I think, "Why can't I write like that?" But after trying for a bit I realize it's because my writing style is SUPPOSED to be simple (simple to read, not "simple"). So I can admire someone else's style, but I would never want to write like that person.