The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day, created by Alex Cavanaugh. People who are part of IWSG are encouraged to post their thoughts, doubts and insecurities about their writing. For more information about the group, click HERE.
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I recently received praise for some of my writing. Nothing big, just a little acknowledgement. Normally, this would be a good thing, a boost in confidence and motivation, a spike in the ole energy meter. And it did have these effects for about 8 seconds. After that, it had the reverse effect. What's been troubling me lately is false praise. Instead of enjoying the positive feedback, I couldn't help but feel that it wasn't genuine. I'm worried that the praise given to me was just that, given and not earned.
Big. Difference.
It breaks me a little inside when people tell me something is good when in fact, what they really mean is: poor girl, this is the biggest pile of writing poo ever squeezed out of a so-called writer. Here have a cookie and feel better.
"What we've got here is FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE."
Anyway, false praise is the worst. I rather get no praise or negative feedback, than false praise. False praise may taste sweet at first, but it always leaves a bad taste in my mouth that makes me feel like shit for weeks.
