Comments on: My own worst enemy by Emma Petersen http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/ An you thought we were just bad in our books... Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:20:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Kate D. http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1069 Kate D. Tue, 21 Aug 2007 03:41:17 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1069 Wow. I hear you. I'm my own worst enemy. When I'm writing, I feel guilty because I'm (a) not working on my day job (b) not spending time with my loved ones (c) not taking care of my fitness/diet regime (d) letting the housework go to hell and (e) never committing enough, and never writing enough, no matter how much I actually commit/write. The flipside is that when I'm doing any of the (a) thru (d) activities, I feel guilty that I'm not writing! Sigh. It's a mad, mad world. Wow. I hear you. I’m my own worst enemy. When I’m writing, I feel guilty because I’m (a) not working on my day job (b) not spending time with my loved ones (c) not taking care of my fitness/diet regime (d) letting the housework go to hell and (e) never committing enough, and never writing enough, no matter how much I actually commit/write.

The flipside is that when I’m doing any of the (a) thru (d) activities, I feel guilty that I’m not writing!

Sigh. It’s a mad, mad world.

]]> By: Ericka Scott http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1059 Ericka Scott Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:40:30 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1059 Yep....I know that once I was published, I wanted More, More, More! I simply can't write fast enough. I'm thinking 10-15K in two days!!! You are a goddess! But don't be too hard on yourself. And if you write something "fun", I guarantee I'll read it!!:popcorn: Yep….I know that once I was published, I wanted More, More, More! I simply can’t write fast enough. I’m thinking 10-15K in two days!!! You are a goddess!

But don’t be too hard on yourself. And if you write something “fun”, I guarantee I’ll read it!!:popcorn:

]]> By: Ava Rose Johnson http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1031 Ava Rose Johnson Sun, 19 Aug 2007 22:33:46 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1031 Yep, that's me. So me. I forget to stop and smell the roses. Yep, that’s me. So me. I forget to stop and smell the roses.

]]> By: Amie Stuart http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1029 Amie Stuart Sat, 18 Aug 2007 18:22:59 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1029 Emma I think we can ALL relate. The downside, no matter how you're your own worst enemy, is burnout. You not only suck the joy out of your writing, but your life. You're miserable and that's no way to work. It's taken me ...damn... a really long time to get to the point where I can let go of a lot of the pressure I put on myself. You have to realize that so much of what we pressure ourselves about is...BULLSHIT. So definitely ease up, relax, have a good time, give yourself a break. Give yourself permission to not write, give yourself permision to write shit, give yourself permission to write something just because, not because it has to go to publisher a or publisher b or whatever but just becauase you WANT to write it. rasta Emma I think we can ALL relate. The downside, no matter how you’re your own worst enemy, is burnout. You not only suck the joy out of your writing, but your life. You’re miserable and that’s no way to work. It’s taken me …damn… a really long time to get to the point where I can let go of a lot of the pressure I put on myself. You have to realize that so much of what we pressure ourselves about is…BULLSHIT. So definitely ease up, relax, have a good time, give yourself a break. Give yourself permission to not write, give yourself permision to write shit, give yourself permission to write something just because, not because it has to go to publisher a or publisher b or whatever but just becauase you WANT to write it. rasta

]]> By: Rob Graham http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1026 Rob Graham Sat, 18 Aug 2007 13:24:12 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1026 Oh yeah. I'm always way too hard on myself. A habit I was taught most carefully and thoroughly growing up and I still haven't shaken those bad lessons off. Oh yeah. I’m always way too hard on myself.

A habit I was taught most carefully and thoroughly growing up and I still haven’t shaken those bad lessons off.

]]> By: Susan http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1022 Susan Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:53:37 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1022 No, you're definitely not alone out here in blogland! I know I have always been my own worst enemy and will most likely always be. :wtf: No, you’re definitely not alone out here in blogland! I know I have always been my own worst enemy and will most likely always be. :wtf:

]]> By: Karen http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1021 Karen Fri, 17 Aug 2007 15:51:43 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1021 First of all let me say that I love you. Because you described riding your muse like a sailor who just got shore leave. :lol: I know exactly what you mean - I'm in that moment right now. I have so much on my plate and I just got over being sick. I beat myself up the entire time I felt bad about losing writing time and it was ridiculous. But I set myself up for more, more, more (and no I'm not referring to the nasties either, LOL) and I'm afraid if I keep going at this pace I'm going to crash and burn. So next month is going to be a little more lax for me. Hopefully. :woot: First of all let me say that I love you. Because you described riding your muse like a sailor who just got shore leave. :lol:

I know exactly what you mean - I’m in that moment right now. I have so much on my plate and I just got over being sick. I beat myself up the entire time I felt bad about losing writing time and it was ridiculous. But I set myself up for more, more, more (and no I’m not referring to the nasties either, LOL) and I’m afraid if I keep going at this pace I’m going to crash and burn.

So next month is going to be a little more lax for me. Hopefully. :woot:

]]> By: Yolanda http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1018 Yolanda Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:51:30 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1018 Hey Emma! I see you're out of the Dark today. :mrgreen: I think we can all relate to this. Having a hectic writing schedule is something I do to myself every single day! Just take breaks as you need them. ;) Hey Emma! I see you’re out of the Dark today. :mrgreen:

I think we can all relate to this. Having a hectic writing schedule is something I do to myself every single day!

Just take breaks as you need them. ;)

]]> By: Samantha Hunter http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1017 Samantha Hunter Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:39:15 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1017 Emma, I think this is a wall a lot of writers hit at some point, and the smart thing is that you know it. You listened to your mentor, and you made a change, you were aware of how your workhorse (workwhore? LOL) habits were hurting you, and you changed them. So good for you! Yes, stop beating yourself up for being absolutely normal and human. Writing is a creative act, not a production line -- if you wanted to work on an assembly line, you'd be in a factory, right? I went through a similar crash last year when I wrote a bunch of stuff and nothing was selling, and I almost quit -- well, I did quit, mentally, for about 24 hours. Then I realized that the "make a sale" treadmill wasn't what would build my career (or my sanity). Good writing would build my career, and for that, I needed to be relaxed and open to ideas, and take my time writing them. I'm much more relaxed about my writing now, and I simply refuse to put myself under unmanageable schedules. I realized if I'm in this for the long haul, which I am, then it's about quality of writing, and quality of life. I'm so much happier now, and the writing is back on track, and I hope it is for you, too. hugs Sam Emma, I think this is a wall a lot of writers hit at some point, and the smart thing is that you know it. You listened to your mentor, and you made a change, you were aware of how your workhorse (workwhore? LOL) habits were hurting you, and you changed them. So good for you! Yes, stop beating yourself up for being absolutely normal and human. Writing is a creative act, not a production line — if you wanted to work on an assembly line, you’d be in a factory, right?

I went through a similar crash last year when I wrote a bunch of stuff and nothing was selling, and I almost quit — well, I did quit, mentally, for about 24 hours. Then I realized that the “make a sale” treadmill wasn’t what would build my career (or my sanity). Good writing would build my career, and for that, I needed to be relaxed and open to ideas, and take my time writing them.

I’m much more relaxed about my writing now, and I simply refuse to put myself under unmanageable schedules. I realized if I’m in this for the long haul, which I am, then it’s about quality of writing, and quality of life. I’m so much happier now, and the writing is back on track, and I hope it is for you, too.

hugs
Sam

]]> By: Emma http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1016 Emma Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:23:38 +0000 http://www.naughty-and-spice.com/2007/08/17/my-own-worst-enemy-by-emma-petersen/#comment-1016 :badgirl: :poke: D's right. I totally think it is human nature. Bigger, better, faster. In this day and age I think that's just how humans are. :badgirl: :poke: D’s right. I totally think it is human nature. Bigger, better, faster. In this day and age I think that’s just how humans are.

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