Not just another column about writing

[ksmith]

Barry Longyear's "Editor on the Shoulder."

It was the difference between focusing on outcomes and focusing on the activity at hand; between doing something because of what it might get me and doing something for its own sake; between writing to please others and writing to please myself. It was a glorious experience. When I am smart, this is now how I do all my writing. When I am not so smart, I begin edging into thoughts of fame, fortune, and gathering the approval of others at the expense of approving of myself.

Comments

Also this one...

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

"If any of the above applies to you, you have an editor-on-the-shoulder of your very own. Trying to ignore this creature, or trying to beat it into submission with success only allows it to grow unchecked. Success at writing will not remove your creature. Your creature will take whatever success you have and turn it into nothing. Booze and other drugs will not kill your creature. Your creature will use them to control the remainder of your tomorrows.

The solution is to accept yourself, be yourself, and be kind to yourself---a life-long and quite demanding study."