First, that cover image is SICK. Beautiful and macabre and deeply unsettling. Love it.
Second, I also struggle with anxiety and depression. I relate to your struggle. Keep going. Your worth it. Your words are worth it.
Third, I also stopped writing for about 10 years. I wrote tons of stuff for other people, but nothing for myself. I only started writing for myself again about 3 years ago -- and it still feels weird sometimes. Like I've forgotten how to do it. My only advice is to try and ignore the Doubt Gremlins and instead listen to your Muse who knows you've got this.
Fourth, I just have to say: Your writing is fantastic. I cannot wait to read this.
Fifth, I did a similar experiment here on Substack. My serial novella, GOOD CHOICES, was written and published on the same day. I wrote it, did minor editing, and shipped it out.
Is it full of errors? Yeah.
Did it get a lot of positive reactions and comments and shares anyway? YEAH! It totally did. Because Substack is a place for writers to share with writers. And we appreciate and respect the First Draft. It was super fun, I made some new friends here, and some day I'll go back and clean it up.
When you work like this there is an expectation from the readers that it won’t be perfect but the joy of being on the journey with an author and even feeding back to them means that collaboration and seeing inside raw prose rather than polished publisher ready work is exciting. Just write from the hip and the bullets will still hit home.
First, that cover image is SICK. Beautiful and macabre and deeply unsettling. Love it.
Second, I also struggle with anxiety and depression. I relate to your struggle. Keep going. Your worth it. Your words are worth it.
Third, I also stopped writing for about 10 years. I wrote tons of stuff for other people, but nothing for myself. I only started writing for myself again about 3 years ago -- and it still feels weird sometimes. Like I've forgotten how to do it. My only advice is to try and ignore the Doubt Gremlins and instead listen to your Muse who knows you've got this.
Fourth, I just have to say: Your writing is fantastic. I cannot wait to read this.
Fifth, I did a similar experiment here on Substack. My serial novella, GOOD CHOICES, was written and published on the same day. I wrote it, did minor editing, and shipped it out.
Is it full of errors? Yeah.
Did it get a lot of positive reactions and comments and shares anyway? YEAH! It totally did. Because Substack is a place for writers to share with writers. And we appreciate and respect the First Draft. It was super fun, I made some new friends here, and some day I'll go back and clean it up.
Be well!
Thank you. This was absolutely the pep talk I needed.
When you work like this there is an expectation from the readers that it won’t be perfect but the joy of being on the journey with an author and even feeding back to them means that collaboration and seeing inside raw prose rather than polished publisher ready work is exciting. Just write from the hip and the bullets will still hit home.
Appreciate that, Tony. Thank you.