How to Stay Positive When Writing

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   Kain 360posted 10 years ago

   Months ago I got accepted to Constant Content. Although, I do believe it's one of the more professional writing platforms on the internet; some of the editors are extremely strict. I actually quit writing for them for months and regret it, as I did manage to get over a dozen articles accepted. Now, I am close to 20.
   
   My writing can definitely be improved, however, I get rejected for subjective things quite often. How can I stay positive? I always dread checking my email; afraid to see that my article got rejected, but I feel accomplished and relieved when I get one accepted.
   
   Writing college essays was a cake walk compared to writing for CC.
   
   I'll add, although I like writing informative articles, I want to write short fiction books eventually & actually be somewhat successful. I write philosophical/poetry stuff sometimes.
   
   How do writers stay positive? I'm also very introverted & am a fairly creative person. But from what I read; writers & introverts are more prone to depression. Many of the greatest writers suffered bouts of depression.

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      jansharesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Kain. Continue to go back over your old stuff that's really good and remind yourself how good you really are even if you don't feel it at the moment. Build on the skills you have. You can't lose what you already have.
      Also, we all have those times when we don't feel positive. Allow yourself to go there but not for long. Schedule time to wallow, then move on and get back to focusing on your goal to become an excellent writer. If depression is an issue, you may need to address that separately so it does not get in the way of your ability to focus and produce. I wish you well. Peace.

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      1. 82

         Kain 360posted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I'm not going to lie, I was very depressed in the winter months. I have been more positive lately; call it blind optimism if you will. Plus, I have been sleeping better & my stomach issues (IBS) are getting better.
         
         I just hear a lot about famous writers, aspiring writers, etc. being prone to frustration, anxiety, and depression.
         
         J.K. Rowling went through a difficult early life and her mother had MS (strangely my father does as well).

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2. 67

   psycheskinnerposted 10 years ago

   I would suggest looking into writing directly for users.  It is typically both easier and more profitable.  Sites like CC are a good intermediate step rather than an end destination.

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      Kain 360posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, I agree. CC is an intermediate step. How exactly does one write directly for users? I would love to write fitness & nutrition related posts for people. Maybe video game stuff as well.

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         psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         What I do is simply google "writers wanted" "bloggers wanted" and my areas of expertise, then order by freshness to get recent postings.

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         Paul Maplesdenposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         There are lots of ways of making the step to writing directly, but there aren't any 'proven' steps that will work every time, however here are a few suggestions:
         
         - Approach a media outlet / blog that writes about your subject and ask if you can start to contribute guest posts; if you find lots of engagement and good feedback on your writing, they may hire you on a freelance basis.
         
         - Freelance through places like Freelancer, Odesk and the other big freelancing sites so that you can build up a reputation there and get an idea of what people are looking for; this will also help you to hone your writing, time management and negotiation skills.
         
         - Setup your own website to promote your writing (this is tricky, there's lots of competition and it takes a while to get established; marketing can also be time consuming and/or expensive).
         
         - Contribute to online communities in your chosen field; ultimately, writing for a living is about making connections. I have written a few hubs about building reputation in online communities that you might find helpful that you can find on my profile.
         
         - Be patient - Overnight success is unlikely as a writer; I've been running an editorial and writing business for nearly 8 years now, and although we pay the bills, we only just cover salaries and expenses, if you want to make millions, there are probably easier ways. You can make a living writing, but it does take a while to get established.
         
         - Look for opportunities - Work can come from unlikely places; Reddit works well for my field (business and startup) as you can start making connections with people and understanding what they need.
         
         Hope this helps.

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3. 59

   Paul Maplesdenposted 10 years ago

   Hi Kain,
   
   I'm a writer for my 'day job' (business writing, Constant Content, HubPages, websites etc.) so I completely understand what you're going through. I don't think that there is a 'one size fits all' approach to staying positive when writing, but I have found that the following areas can really help:
   
   - Try not to take the criticism personally - The CC editors in particular are *extremely* picky about what they pick up on; they can also be very variable, such that predicting what articles will be returned for improvement and what will go through is almost impossible. The thing to remember is that they aren't criticizing *you*, they are criticizing *your work*. Many writers feel that their work *is* them, but developing a healthy distance between you and your work can be very freeing.
   
   - Have other things that you can do - If I start to feel that the writing isn't flowing as it should, I find that the very best thing to do is get away from the computer screen for a bit. Go for a walk, get some sunshine, read a book or just relax in front of the TV. Writers are a driven lot and sometimes we feel that if we aren't working that we are doing something wrong. In fact, it's very important to take time to recharge.
   
   - Realize that your writing *is* very good - I consider myself to be a pretty good writer (10 years of comms management, taught writing to colleagues, make a living doing it) but around 40% to 50% of what I write gets returned at CC, mainly due to subjective editors (what one editor says is good, another one dislikes) - There's always discussion about this in the CC forums; anyway, don't see it as a reflection on you or your work.
   
   - Do other stuff online to feel creative - Places like Quora and Tumblr can allow you to write short-form pieces that don't need a ton of creativity but still exercise those writing muscles.
   
   - Don't be too hard on yourself - This is a difficult one, and it's something that all creative people suffer from, but the most important thing is to *just write*. Don't write with an expectation of money, kudos or anything else, but simply because you enjoy what you are doing. The other stuff will come as  a byproduct of that.
   
   I hope this helps, and there have been some very helpful hints from other writers here. Stay positive, be gentle with yourself, embrace other things, and you'll be fine.

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   1. 82

      Kain 360posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Wow, thank you for being so insightful. I do admit, I tend to take criticism personally. I just find it very difficult to fight subjectivity; in any subject in life really. I have definitely noticed that the CC editors are variable. I've had near 1000 word articles get approved, but 500 word articles get rejected for wordiness or subjective things.
      
      I've heard of tumblr, but never heard of Quora. Perhaps I will check it out.

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         Rangoon Houseposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         There is so much solid advice coming your way and from such experienced people in their fields. Your focus and dedication is your strength.

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   favoredposted 10 years ago

   Good advice from everyone here.  Having other things in my life allows me to step away from writing when I need a break.  When I get back into it, I have a fresh outlook on things.

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   louise-barracoposted 10 years ago

   Great advice

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6. 68

   Theresa Jonathanposted 10 years ago

   You will stay positive if you can adopt the principle of Proverbs 23:7 "As a man think, so is he!" This means whatever you think about (bad or good) shall comes to be.  When you write you think deeply; and your mind classify that as important.  There is a consistency on the principle of being part of the positive information in Philippians 4:8. I perceive the principles in the Bible as instruction from the Creator guiding us how to life optimally.  If you follow guidelines from your car manufacturer, you surely must think about you. We are precious to our Creator.  He placed us here - in a planet created to support our life....(Note that both scriptures come from the Bible). The Creator is LOVE and anything that is outside love is harmful to us!

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