We all have it, even the people that pretend very successfully they don’t, but how do we get over it and get the words on the page anyway? If you want to be a writer, or any kind of artist or entertainer, you have to have a good dose of self criticism – otherwise you’d never feel like you had to work to perfect your output, right?

But really it needs to be balanced with a hefty shot of confidence too, or at least enough to allow you to show people whatever it is you’ve been working on eventually. The confidence bit isn’t so easy though, especially when you start to doubt whether you’re actually doing anything with any worth or relevance.

And I guess that’s where ego comes in. And the fight between not being so egotistical that people are secretly glad when you fail or so self deprecating that no one has enough faith in you to even pretend they’re interested in what you are doing.

I’m not sure how well developed my ego is, I mean it’s still snarling it’s teeth and telling me to keep going but on bad days it curls up and whimpers a little. Maybe it just needs some encouragement in the shape of treats. Maybe that means I should go and blow a chunk of money on some new books. They all count as research after all right? 🙂