Tips on Silencing your Inner Critic

It’s been awhile since I posted something on here.

And I want to update you guys here too of what’s going on (need to work on posting here too).

✨ Here is what’s happening in my life right now:

I’m way too active on Instagram (follow my writing journey there too. I post daily video updates and mini games on insta stories.) I have been posting what I’m up to, and posting my weekly writing updates. It has become my accountability haven.

AND I’m never active here. Ooops. I am hoping to change that in the next couple of weeks.

But ONE major thing happened, I need to tell you, and that is…

I’m putting Project Glass Kingdom on HOLD for 9 days (today is day 6th in the midst of writing this) because I was distracted by a poetry book contest I saw online. So I decided to give it a shot and go for it.

It’s been too long since I get up from the chair and do something with my poems. I do try to submit them to poetry competitions from time to time. But this time, I wanted to do more. I wanted to try to get a poetry collection published.

That would be a nice dream come true. A book published? Ahhh, dreams.

That’s wishful thinking as well because one needs to put in the work to be up on the shelves with the authors they admire.

To get there. you have to put your foot in murky water.

Like in any story, the main character goes through the muddy middle to reach their goal. In this case, you’re TRYING to put yourself out there by sending out short stories, essays and poems to literary magazines. THIS will help you build your name. To build connections. To practice trying something new once in awhile. To take up more challenges. To get out of your comfort zone. To try to do more and not sit with the bystanders.

Surely, there’s always going to be obstacles standing in your way. But does the main character (YOU) give up?

No.

Even if the voice in your head tells you not to, as cliché as it may sound, YOU don’t give in to that nasty remark.

Think about it.

You have poured your heart and soul into a piece or project that you’re passionate about. The one piece or project that made you spend days, months maybe years to craft it. AND, you just want to keep it to yourself. Because you’re scared of the what ifs? What if the story’s not good enough? What if the piece gets rejected? What if I’m not a good writer??

Have you heard of this phrase,

I live by it.

Don’t let a nasty voice at the back of your mind tell you that it’s impossible to put it out there because you’re not ready. Because you’re not good enough. Because you won’t get published, or whatever the reason may be.

✨ Nonetheless, IT’S OKAY to feel like that, everyone gets this way. I know I do. 

AND WHEN your inner critic nags you, do the opposite of what that voice tells you. Submit that piece! Submit that manuscript! Submit that painting! Submit that poem!

Don’t doubt yourself anymore. Do the scary thing. Don’t listen to that voice. Do listen to your fiery passion!

It’s good to keep these things in mind that…

you’re growing as a writer and

if you don’t put yourself out there, you won’t make connections, 

if you don’t build up your name, readers will not know you,

if you don’t let bygones be bygones with criticism then you won’t develop thick skin, 

and improve your craft further.

✨ SO NOW, THIS IS THE TIME…

to embrace these fears that are tearing you down, 

to put yourself ahead and not let your dreams die because of doubts, 

to cross out the things that are holding you back, 

and crumble them, and throw them into the wastebasket. They aren’t worth it.

Now, come forth, and go, conquer your fears! You won’t regret it.

*By the time, this post goes up. I’ve already submitted the fantasy poetry collection, and am working on my fairy-tale mash-up WIP .

That is all for now. Alex is signing out.

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