Writers have to have pretty thick skins, right? And I'm sure we all get the 'what the hell is this drivel I've just written?!' moment. (Or I do, anyway!)
Part of why I write short stories for mags and whatnot, is because every time I get an acceptance it confirms that I'm not a useless dipstick and do actually had a smidgen of talent. (The second part is because I can't not write, so short stories fill the gap while I'm procrastinating over my longer stuff!)
Recently, I've been getting good comments, both on here and from editors and readers and whatnot, and I've been tempted to print some of them out and have a sort of 'ego board' so that when I'm pondering burning all my work up in a big fire, I can look at it and it'll make me feel better.
Does anybody use anything like that? Is it a good idea or stupid?
Or maybe we can share here the good comments we've received. Like, a little while ago I had a rejection where the editor said the story wasn't for her, but that I had a LOT of talent. (Her emphasis!) And even though it was a rejection, it made me smile.
Part of why I write short stories for mags and whatnot, is because every time I get an acceptance it confirms that I'm not a useless dipstick and do actually had a smidgen of talent. (The second part is because I can't not write, so short stories fill the gap while I'm procrastinating over my longer stuff!)
Recently, I've been getting good comments, both on here and from editors and readers and whatnot, and I've been tempted to print some of them out and have a sort of 'ego board' so that when I'm pondering burning all my work up in a big fire, I can look at it and it'll make me feel better.
Does anybody use anything like that? Is it a good idea or stupid?
Or maybe we can share here the good comments we've received. Like, a little while ago I had a rejection where the editor said the story wasn't for her, but that I had a LOT of talent. (Her emphasis!) And even though it was a rejection, it made me smile.