Is Pride Hurting your Writing?

/ inkspeare
The Muse

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Pride is a natural human trait.  It is normal to be proud of our creation; of the things that we put heart and soul into and many times, all our resources.  Pride is good; however, it is not when it becomes a roadblock to our progress and growth.  This is when pride becomes an obstacle and many times, a blindfold as well.  We become so enamored of our creations – our work – that we fail to see that it can be improved, and we curse the one who dares to give us constructive advice.

Pride can be fuel but it can also fuel the fire that consumes your soul and your work.  This is why we have to be so careful with it; it can be a healthy tool against too much self-deprecation, but if not kept in check, it can become your biggest roadblock as a writer.

One way to deal with pride is to look at constructive criticism objectively, and to do the same with your work – although this is sometimes difficult.  Humble yourself by making it a goal to improve your craft – whether writing or something else.  When you realize that you do not have all the answers and that it is good to want to improve, the road will become easier and the criticism much easier to swallow.  Sugar up your pride this way, and you will begin to see a change – you may even find that your writing has a better flow, since you are open to growth.

Sometimes, our Muse inspires us, but it can also get very protective of its creation.  Think of it for at least a moment, ask yourself, “Is my pride preventing me to grow in my craft?”  Then give your Muse a sugar pill if you must.

4 thoughts on “Is Pride Hurting your Writing?”

  1. This is so true…I think also that pride can be a block to writing in another way. We are so preoccupied with creating perfect writing that we can be proud of, that we are scared to write anything at all in case it is not up to standard. In short, pride is indeed both useful and dangerous…

    Emma http://ideasofawanderingmind.wordpress.com/

  2. Excellent advice. One thing I’ve learned from posting online is how to view all comments and suggestions as something constructive to learn from. I won’t always make the changes but when I’m revising a poem or story I’ve written but I will read through all the comments to consider each one on its own merits.

    Sometimes the advice given by critical reviews is invaluable and should not be just dismissed because of pride.

  3. True, that is another way in which pride can become a tool of fear and a roadblock for writers. Thank you for stopping by 🙂 Much success to you.

  4. True, online feedback can be a great tool in learning how to deal with our feelings about our work and how we handle criticism and overall comments. Much success to you 🙂

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