I hate to admit it, because I want to be able to pretend I am an all round good person, but there have been plenty of times I’ve been eaten up by envy. There are hundreds of thousands of writers out there and a good whack of them have turned me into a slinking, green eyed beast at some point.
But you know what? I think a little jealousy can be a good thing – as long as you’re not bitter about it and you know when to put a cap on it. After all, if I hadn’t read passages that made me think ‘shit, if only I could write like that,’ I doubt I’d have worked so hard on the writing I have done.
If I hadn’t ever opened a best seller and wondered what the writer had that I didn’t, I could have missed out on experimenting with a bunch of different styles until I found a few that fit. And if I hadn’t seen my contemporaries making names for themselves, I might not have dragged myself off my ass long enough to start trying to do the same for myself.
The Anti-Drama Monkey
I’m not going to lie and say I never feel just a teeny bit jealous every now and then, I hang around with a lot of very talented people after all, but I know when to put those feelings back in the box. Sometimes a little chocolate and a few drinks are needed to tempt it in there, but it’s all for the greater good!
Lynsey May 
I sucks to see other people accomplish things you cannot get done. On the other hand: you’re doing great! I love your blog. I’ve awarded you the Versatile Blogger Award. Check it out at my blog!
LikeLike
Aw, thank you so much – both for the compliment and the award. I’ll check it out 🙂
LikeLike
Aaah, this is such a nice post. But have to agree with liannowen… 😉
LikeLike
ha, thanks. Maybe I’m just greedy, always wanting one better! 😉
LikeLike
Hi, great post and I admire your honesty. If anyone said they have never, on occasion, congratulated someone for their success through gritted teeth, I’d doubt them somehow. It’s normal to feel envious to a certain extent. It’s how we respond to that feeling that counts. It can be motivating sometimes. Especially if the person is a friend or someone we admire.
LikeLike
I guess we just have to take that motivation and use it for good (and not planning ways to bring around the downfall of our competitors, hehe)
LikeLike
Brilliant.. and I love the anti drama monkey.. brings som reality into the scene….:)
LikeLike
Thanks! I love that little guy too, he needs a little bit of love and attention though – I am not the world’s best knitter!
LikeLike