LITERARY:Writer's Angst By: Aaliyah Van T. Pineda

 

Theme: Anxiety

Synopsis: We feel insecure about our own work lots of times, but that feeling is normal.

I stared at my now finished chapter on my laptop, thoughts running back and forth in my head.

"What if it's cliche?"

"Is the plot itself too predictable?"

"Maybe I should change up a few things..."

"Will people like it if I make them read it?"

I groaned and placed my head on my hands. I just finished the next chapter of my story, but as always, my anxiety and angst got the better of me once more. I always get so nervous that whatever I write won't be pleasing or good enough. Even if I don't let anybody read my stories, the pressure to write a good and engaging story will always be there.

It feels as if your thoughts ARE your audiences. You think you're an inferior writer if your story isn't as good as others. You start to experience angst or self-doubt because you don't trust your writing to be satisfactory enough. Don't worry. You're not the only one. It's funny that nobody ever reads what I write. And yet, I still feel nervous that my story isn't any good. 

I shouldn't feel this way. None of us should. Because what matters is what we think of the story, not what anybody else thinks. And yet, we still fear that somebody won't like what we create. I have been writing stories for two years now, and I've seen the harsh critics in the writing industry. They're brutal and straightforward. I've also read amazing books written by excellent authors, whom I can never level.

But we need to keep in mind that angst and self-doubt are natural because we're all trying, but we can never reach perfection. There will always be flaws and mistakes in our work. It's only natural. But flaws and mistakes are okay because we learn from them. And it gives us more experience. It's basically like character development. Over time we improve and get better, even if it is a slow process. Through chapters, the character develops, and by experience and time, we improve.

And yet, we tend to forget about that because of the pressure we feel. But even with all that pressure, it goes to show that we're determined to write a good tale. It shows that we care about a good story. Right? If the story itself makes YOU happy, then that's what matters. Eventually, we'll come to terms that our work is worth more than what we think.

I lifted my head and looked at my screen again before my mouth formed into a small smile. "Nobody reads it, so nobody to judge, therefore only my opinion is relevant!"

Published by: Keith Alphonsus A. Ambuya

Date published: January 25,2022

Time published:12:47 PM