So, this is my first post for the Insecure Writers Support Group. There are a million insecurities that come with being a writer, so I'm not sure where to start.
The biggest insecurity that I've been battling lately has to do with time. When I sit down to work on my novel, there's always a voice in the back of my mind, taunting, teasing, being an all-around jerkface, telling me that I'm wasting my time.
And after hearing it for so long, it's hard to not listen.
So, I've been wondering: Am I wasting my time? Is there something else I should be focusing on? Something more important? Something that will have a for-sure payoff in the end? Is it time to be a grown up and get my head out of the clouds?
I have put a lot of time, a lot of heart and soul, anger and tears, into my writing. The novel that I'm currently working on has gone through many different versions over the last 7 years or so. But I keep coming back to it. Why? Because I love the characters. I love the story. I want to give it the attention it deserves. And I'm getting there. I can feel it. But at what cost? A few sleepless nights spent typing away like a maniac? A couple hours spent revising the latest chapter instead of studying for my math test? An afternoon spent in a coffee house with my writing group instead of at home cleaning the house?
How do you decide if you're spending each hour the way you should be spending it? How do you know whether or not all the time and effort you're pouring into this make-believe world on your computer screen is worth it? How do you know?
Truth is, I don't. It's scary to think about putting so much of me into this thing that may or may not amount to something worthwhile in the future.
So, how do you battle that fear? How do you keep pushing forward despite the insecurities?