Being creative can be frightening stuff. Art, in all its forms, is often an expression of one's inner thoughts and feelings. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable in this way can be a truly daunting task.
Most of my artistic creations are ones that I make for fun, like making digital art on my tablet or sculpting little clay critters for my loved ones. I am by no means a master in these mediums, so I try not to put too much pressure on myself to generate an end product that is "perfect". I simply try my best as I hone my skills. Unfortunately, this is not how I approach writing.
Although I love to write and often have fun doing it, the expectations I put on myself are high. It was always important for me to have the top grades in my English classes in school and to have people enjoy reading my work. My dream is to share my stories with the world, but the more steps I take in working toward this goal, the more terrified I become.
At the crux of it, I am scared out of my socks that I am no good. There's likely a name for this feeling, but the best I can think of at present is something I'm going to coin as "pre-imposter syndrome"; I don't feel worthy to stand amongst my fellow writers. I recognize that part of this stems from both a need to feel accepted and a lack of self-confidence in this area. I hope this feeling will dissipate with time, but I know that getting there will require a lot of effort.
I speak on this topic not in search of praise, but as a first step in believing in myself more. I'm no Margaret Atwood or Anthony Doer, but I think I can tell a half-decent story and I will always try my darndest to do just that.
Do you struggle with feeling adequate in your art? If so, what has helped you to combat these feelings?
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