Creativity And Failure

Since I have begun this journey as a new author I have gone through many emotions. Joy, excitement, pride, anger and fear. Rejection is not new to me. I went through the process of queries and submits with agents and publishers and received plenty of form thanks but no thanks letters. I have given up and started again many times and Mine, All Mine has been through many stages. My harshest critic is always myself but that doesn't mean their isn't a bit of a sting every time I read a one star review. Do I have them? Sure, and I take sincere comfort in the fact that everybody does in fact; when feeling particularly bummed after reading one of them I go and look at reviews of some of my favorite authors and books. They have one star reviews too and its just part of life.
Not everybody is going to love my book, my style, or any other thing they choose to pick apart no matter how small or insignificant. That is just the reality. People would rather tear something apart than praise it, and people love leaving bad reviews whether its a book, restaurant, or movie. Not that I don't have good reviews because I do and those are the people who make it all worth it. I wrote a book I as a reader would want to read and it appears I am not alone and even one person liking my book is the most amazing feeling in the world. I will never forget my first review and how awesome that person made me feel knowing they liked it and wanted to read more. For that person and the others like him I will keep going.
My one star reviews have their place. I know what I can do better next time and I am more driven because of it.
I remind myself constantly to write the book I want to read because it is impossible to meet the expectations of thousands of nameless faceless people I will never meet. To feel that creative rush and inspiration I have to write without the burden of that fear. Confidence and I have never been great friends but it is needed to continue to reach for my dream. My dream is much bigger than any one star review and I wont be torn down by it. I am still building my foundation as an author and to quote Paramore; you have to build your home brick by boring brick or the wolfs gonna blow it down.

Just because :)