Kicking My Negative Thoughts in the Teeth

So, I wake up at 5:30 a.m. and decide to roll over and try to fall back asleep…but to no avail. My mind began that usual restless game of doubt, fear, and lack of confidence. You know the one…where you as the writer have finished your novel and await the results from an agent or publisher.  That tug of war flitting through your thoughts of whether you're good enough…"Yes I am…no I'm not".

I know I'm not alone in these feelings, and I worked very hard to press on through them as soon as my feet hit the floor to begin my day. But today it took a little longer to pick up my chin.

After I dragged myself to my day job, I caught a few emails on my phone from Twitter.  There is someone new following me…oh look, it's another writer. When I published my first paranormal mystery Sullivan's Secret last year I was thrilled, shocked, and afraid all at once. I had no clue of how to set up an author platform. Thankfully, my publisher assited in teaching me the "ropes".  I took the ball and ran with it and began my journey as a published author creating the "other side" of writing…social media marketing. But I had no idea just how many authors were out there.

A year has passed and I finished my second novel within the series and finalized the last rewrite hoping to reach a more traditional publisher, or even possibly land an agent…hence the reason for the early mind-boggling awakening this morning wondering why I haven't received a response.

There is also that void of when you've finished a novel and have only just begun the research to begin the next…you know that place where you're missing your characters and are trying to rejoin them again.

So I thought, okay Robin, enough is enough, quit your whining and do the thing that picks up your spirit…write!

And, here I am…writing.  No matter what form of writing…be it my novel, email for work or to a friend, or my blog…whenever I can create through my keyboard I'm uplifted and rejuvenated.

So here's to all you author's waiting to be published, or are traditionally published or self-published…kudos to a job well done, no matter where you are in your craft.  Keep your chin up, toss out those negative thoughts of defeat or self-doubt, and keep writing.  Give someone a kind word or thumbs up on their blog or facebook author page.  We all need it and deserve it.

One final thought, remember what Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, "Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody."

Okay, I'm feeling much better…have a great day everyone!