A Writer's Fragile Ego vs. A Diva

Most writers have fragile egos. We want everyone to love our creations and value us as authors. We know it's impossible to please everyone, but we still want everyone to like our work. We've spent hours conjuring up the plot and characters, spent more hours recording the characters' problems, exploits, and triumphs. Each book is a part of the author that has been painfully wrenched from our subconscious. We say love me, love my book.

I recently had excellent critiquers question my work in progress. It sent me into a panic. Oh, no, I thought, now I have to completely rewrite this story. No, what will I do? Am I crazy to have written it this way? What's wrong with me?

I know their points were valid on one section, which is the prologue. I'd already been rethinking that and decided it needed change. Their suggestions were excellent, and I'm eager to put them into the work.

But wait. Rewrite the entire book so far? I was torn by comments that would change the entire focus of my lead character, would reinvent her entire personality, and would also affect the secondary characters. After worrying about it for hours, then sleeping on it, I beleive my vision for this character is correct. So, I won't be making those are changes, although I will tweak her a bit.

Most writers depend on critiques. They are always helpful, even when we don't agree. Critiques make us think about how others will perceive this story and its characters. I never get angry at a critique. For one thing, receiving a critique means I've asked someone for his or her opinion. That means I value the person's opinion and expertise.

But I realize that the end responsibility is mine. This is my vision, a world I'm creating, and I bear the end result. So, I'll continue to ask these excellent writers' opinions, but it's still MY BOOK. I don't think that makes me a diva. And it doesn't mean my ego is no longer fragile. It just means that I want my book to be the best I can make it.

Writng, writing, writing

I'm excited about a new work in progress and am fortunate to have friends whose encouragement propels my enthusiasm. I love writing my stories, escaping into someone else's life, and creating the appropriate outcome for the character (depending on whether it's a hero, heroine, villain). When I'm writing, it's as if these are real people whose life I'm recording, not something plucked from my imagination. I love the quote attributed to Meg Chittendon that goes, "Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing."

I do my share of staring, but it's usually at the computer screen. It's especially nice when the voices keep speaking fast enough that I don't have to stare. LOL