See? She still likes me.
Well, it’s not been the best month ever. I got sick at the beginning of the month, right after returning from a 2 day vacation with the family, and it hung on for two weeks. Then I headed to an awesome WorldCon (will write it up at Murverse), and when I got back, I’ve been either suffering from a relapse, or I just strained my voice so badly that I’m still coughing with a sore throat and crap voice. Doc says my throat looks healthy, so I’m betting I just talked too much in the dry Reno air. (Or perhaps got drunk and yelled, “It’s a SYNONYM, look it up!” at Grammar Girl, but I’ll never admit to it.)
Regardless, I considered taking August off podcasts, and, well, I kinda was forced to. But I got some excellent interviews at WorldCon and will be updating the site soon. I’ll have an episode and a BIG feedback show recorded for next week, then a Good Cop/Bad Cop, then some video for Fabulist members.
One thing that amused me this week: If you’ve been listening a long time, you know my ISBW story, how I got intimidated by a writer who was better than I was in college, decided I couldn’t improve any more, and quit for about 10 years. Well, in reading the excellent (and very timely) post about what happens to a book when it doesn’t sell at The Millions, I followed another link to Why Do Writers Abandon Novels by Dan Kois.
Ah, Dan Kois. It takes me back to my creative writing classes in college. For you see, Kois is the man whose skill intimidated me such that I decided I could not make it as a writer.
Now, please understand I am not blaming Kois. I remember him as very nice and supportive. It was MY view of his immense talent that caused ME to decide I couldn’t be a better writer. It was self-sabotage in the worst way. This is why you don’t compare yourself to others. This is why you don’t let someone else’s career/talent influence the decisions you make.
I was intimidated by his talent, but now that I’m older and wiser, I’m greatly encouraged by his success and wish him only more and more awesomeness.
Share and Enjoy!
2 Responses to Recovered!
Subscribe!
ISBW Endorsed Programs
New from the Murverse- ISBW Special #46 – Stonecoast Writer’s Residency January 31, 2012
- ISBW #230 – Feedback January 30, 2012
- Short Story Alert- Gimme Shelter January 27, 2012
Mur! I remember YOU from college as being equally talented and intimidating, so there you go. I am sorry I accidentally put you off writing for so long but I am glad you cast the memory aside and got back on it. Thanks for the nice words.
[...] has been a lot of fun for me. One of the things I’ve heard Murr Lafferty say on her podcast, I Should Be Writing, is that people tend to either end of extremes with regards to blogs. They love it, or they hate [...]