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Essays are something that are so obvious to do but… never have been done here.
Props to you for this, it's a really good one! I especially think that the message is one of value to many people in this community.
+1
There are roads,
a samurai must travel…
I’m sure that you’ve heard a lot of these things already, but the tragedy of it all is that these were exactly what worked for me.
Alright fair. You have found a way to deter this conundrum by attacking it only on the surface.
Here are the reasons WHY this may occur.
Why is there a full blown argument?
More on the whole developmental thing.
They are emotionally, psychologically, and physically developing Children. The age group of those who join on the wiki and the limit is mainly 15 years old. But that will never stop younger children from entering a place that offers creative expression or a place to 'Belong.' as they (teenagers.) are of the age were they want to feel part of a clique. They may also be sensitive. (as most developing children are). Many, if not most, artists and creators are highly sensitive people, and can be more vulnerable to self-criticism and other experiences that impact self-esteem, confidence and more.Especially if the past is informing your perception of your abilities, skills, talents and overall potential.
If you are a highly creative person – someone with a big drive or determination to achieve your life goals or dreams – an injured self-esteem will show up in your journey over and over again…
It will interfere with your ability to invest yourself in creating your life. Even in adulthood.
'Write what you know.' is most effective when applicated with others, educational, spiritual, or life experiences. No one can, in my whole opinion, create anything worthwhile in this insecure stage of self-doubt.
An unrealistic or harsh internal voice can repeatedly stifle your creative spark or disconnect you from your performing abilities.
Encourage these people to work on themselves, not creative work.
But here's… the thing.
Creative work is highly important for individual development. The expression of notions, concepts, ideas, emotions is crucial to development in an age where people are still learning the ropes of life and how to handle all sorts of things.
Creative work *is* working on oneself too. Whether it is for expression purposes, for the sake of challenge, or simply for fun.
Tl;Dr to anyone who reads this. Do what you want to do. And if you want to have fun writing, then you've found here a place to do so. Don't let this one guy, or anyone else, stop you from doing what you like doing. Sometimes growth and self care are as simple as having fun.
- Snom, Backrooms Wiki Site Admin
No one can, in my whole opinion, create anything worthwhile in this insecure stage of self-doubt.
I have to strongly disagree with this on two levels: the idea that nothing worthwhile can be created while insecure, and the idea that the only worthwhile things deserve to be created.
What really determines what is worthwhile, here? Something considered high-quality by others, is my assumption of what you mean. I don’t think how well someone writes is inherently linked to their self-esteem. Very good writers can have terrible self-esteem, and still write well. Nobody writes excellently under emotional duress, sure, but that’s not the only thing that controls someone’s ability or skill. They’ll likely have a lot of reservations about sharing their work, or be harsher on themselves about it, but lacking self-esteem won’t necessarily ruin their skills.
Writing is a process of refining. Writers write a lot of things, then choose the things that they think can be worked on and turned into a final product. I’m personally a big fan of iterative design, and I frequently go back to my old completed interactive fiction projects and redo them again to make them better. The first draft will not be amazing unless you’re one of a few very limited number of people. That doesn’t mean that the bad drafts that were created were pointless or worthless. Without those starting points, there isn’t anything to work off of. Nothing can be created.
I’m also somewhat confused by your responses because a lot of what I said in the essay is encouragement for people to work on themselves. Some of this is about things that will also apply to getting better at writing, but the overall purpose of this is offering ways to change someone’s mindset toward their works in a healthier direction.
And as Snom said before me, working on yourself can and does include creating things. To decide that anything created while working on yourself can’t possibly be worth anything is the exact mindset that needs to be broken down.
One important maxim for young writers: to write well, first you must write badly.
You don't silence that harsh inner critic by forging an iron-clad sense of self-esteem before you ever try writing something. You silence it by giving yourself permission to write stuff that's crap, and cringe, and cliche, and derivative. Because by giving yourself permission to write badly, you begin the progression towards writing better. AND you grow as a person because you learn and accept that not everything you create will be perfect. (Perfectionism feeds that inner critic like nothing else.)
And in my opinion, the BEST time to write badly is when you're a teenager. When everything feels overwhelming and new and frustrating and confusing - because those feelings are powerful. Writing badly as a teenager captures that as much as anything - maybe not in a way that's original, or well-expressed, or nuanced; but in a way that is very real. You only get so many years to be "raw" as a writer, might as well make the most out of them.
You have found a way to deter this conundrum by attacking it only on the surface.
Something I missed with this. I don’t really know what you’re trying to get at here, but it read to me like… you’re telling me that the comfort with my own creations I’ve built is only superficial? I’m not sure how anyone but me can know that for certain that (and certainly not strangers), but the advice I give here are steps to guide people toward healthier mindsets. Making changes in how you interact with your creations is a big part of changing how you feel about them. Continuing the same actions that perpetuate unhealthy perception isn’t going to help anyone break out of that perception.
*Me re-reading this for the 10th time*
I'm justice!…What?…No not the blind folded girl!
I really enjoyed this essay. People talk about the fact some kids under 15 join the wiki and therefore have no emotional maturity to understand criticism, but no one talks about those over 15 that have close to no emotional maturity themselves. +1
- Mal0gen, the skullgen in your phone.
I have to agree on most of the statements. Especially regarding being an idea output machine. I have a huge imagination, and not all of my ideas work out. In fact, I get so many ideas that I don't know what to do with them…
Write all of them at once!!!
That's what I do, and I have five plus different projects going on right now, and it's glorious.
My entire life has boiled down to this moment. This keyboard. What I write to you now is my blood, shed for your amusement.
ghostchibi,
I am late to this party. Must have misplaced my invitation…
A word of advice from experience. As an author, I have been paid for my writing and my writing has, at times, more than I care to admit, been rejected. Many of my friends and colleagues here know that I am 70 years old. My stuff still gets loved and disliked… even here. More than five decades of writing. I began to submit my work since I was 16. I still cringe when I read my early stuff, but it all seemed like a good idea at the time. You get better at writing by writing.
Loved this!
And yeah, about that advice: WRITE THINGS DOWN! Scribble a note when the idea is fresh.
Everyone can thank me later.
Edit: "It is easier to burn a house down than to build one."
Your friend and colleague,
Goerman
http://backrooms-wiki.wikidot.com/goerman
