Everything I write is terrible

[SteveThePirate]

I usually like what I write at the time, but when I go back to read it later, I hate it. So I try not to read my past work, unless I need to for research purposes. Saves me a lot of self-flagellation.

Wow, I'm totally at the other end of the spectrum. Feel like poop immediately after I file and then maybe, just maybe, a little better the following morning. But when I look back six months later I think, "Hey, that actually wasn't too shabby."

Hard to explain, really.

 

[MC Sports Guy]

What I really hate is when I produce what I feel is a kick-ass story, on deadline, and then read the next morning and find a really stupid mistake. Something really dumb like "John" instead of "Jon." That just forks up everything for me.

 

[spud]

Can't tell you how happy this thread makes me - to know I'm not the only one who thinks his writing is absolute shirt sometimes is a comforting thing.

I have trouble compiling clip files sometimes because I can never decide on anything I've written. It all looks like utter bollocks sometimes. But I get compliments, so I guess I should keep going, eh?

 

[spnited]

With this thread, JD crying over his name being misspelled, Brain of J complaining about everything and the people Riddick works with not being friendly enough toward him ... why don't you guys just start an all-purpose whining thread so you can all cry like little benches in one place.


Ok, seriously, if you people don't lighten up on yourselves a little bit and realize that 8 times out of 10 you write a good story, 1 out of 10 totally sucks and 1 out of 10 is very good... you're all gonna have ulcers or give yourselves strokes or just plain flame out of this business before you're 30.
My educated old editor guess is you're all trying too damn hard, much too worried about turning a phrase, too worried about every word being perfect ... and your bullshirt cover phrases for it are that you expect great things from yourself, or you use it as motivation blah, blah, blah.
Truth is, stop trying to writing every story like it's going to win you some awards or be a great clip and get you your big break in the business. Stop writing "clips" and just focus on doing your job.
Sometimes -- most tmes, in fact -- a 13" high school gamer is nothing more than a 13" high school gamer. And there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[buckweaver]

And to add to what spnited very smartly said:

Strive for those numbers, too. Strive for 8 out of 10 stories being solid. Not spectacular, and not sucktacular. Just solid.

1 that sucks, 8 solid, and 1 that stands out ... well, you can make a pretty damn good career that way.

Trust me, I'd rather have a ratio of 1-8-1 than 4-4-2 over any given period of time, whether it's a week or a lifetime. And I'd rather work with colleagues who give me 8 solid stories out of 10, too.

 

[Boobie Miles]

If it's any consolation, I'm not a big fan of everything I write, either.

I always figure I could have done something better, be it a turn of phrase or a different word here or there.

I've been in press boxes where I've actually seen people looking at their computers, laughing at their own stuff and saying, "Damn, I'm good."

I don't know how to put this...

But I'm kind of a big deal.

People know me. I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.

 

[PHINJ]

This may sound totally weird, but I don't think I've ever really hated anything I've handed in.

Keep in mind that writing hasn't been my primary job for more than 6 years now.

I'm not saying everything was great, but, you know...I think I am a pretty good writer. Certainly my live stuff isn't always as crips as pieces I take more time on, but I'm generally satisfied with it.

I have had plenty of crises of confidence before and during the writing process, however. And there are plenty of times I'm not thrilled with my efforts in other areas of my job. But I like my writing; go figure.

Maybe I should go back down to a smaller paper and reinvent myself.

 

[Tom Petty]

Typically, I hate every syllable of every story I write. Very rarely do I write a story that I like, and on those rare occasions, I know as I'm writing the piece that it's going to be good.

That said, people who are far more accomplished in the business than I tell me that my stuff is good. So, I guess I don't suck.

The best advice I can give is to find someone who will take the time out of their day to read your stuff. Be it in your shop or a friend or someone on here. Someone you can ask to tear your stuff apart. What worked. What didn't work. What you really should have rethought. What idea(s) you should have punted into the 57th row of the third deck.

The other piece of advice I can give--and it's something that I'm still learning--is that not every story is going to be Watergate or Balco. Sometimes a 14-inch gamer is just a 14-inch gamer. Give the who, what, when, how and why. It's better to write a solid story than to spin flowery bullshirt that tells the reader nothing.

no, you suck dude. get over yourself.

 

[Prince of Persia]

Am I the only one who feels this way?

I have this high opinion of myself as a writer, but then when I sit down to actually write, I hate everything that comes out.

I think I really started to feel this way once I started covering some significant stuff. I look at it his way, if you still have a job and nobody has talked to you about your performance, then I say you are doing something right. And Hockeybeat is right, have somebody else read your stuff, I prefer someone who doesn't know much about sports. If you can connect with the casual or misinformed sports fan, you must be doing something right.

 

[write then drink]

I'm afraid that anybody who believes all their stuff sucks is probably right

 

[andyouare?]

It annoys me when I read a writer who tries to make every freakin' story an award winner. Throwing in pop culture references and goofy one-sentence questions and so on.

Remember, when it comes to gamers and prevus, 90 percent of readers just want the facts solidly laid out for them in a readable manner.

Now if you're a full-time feature writer or columnist, then yeah I would worry. But if you're a grunt like most, remember that being consistent over a long period is more important that occasional flashes of brilliance.

 

[hockeybeat]

It annoys me when I read a writer who tries to make every freakin' story an award winner. Throwing in pop culture references and goofy one-sentence questions and so on.

Remember, when it comes to gamers and prevus, 90 percent of readers just want the facts solidly laid out for them in a readable manner.

Now if you're a full-time feature writer or columnist, than yeah I would worry. But if you're a grunt like most, remember that being consistent over a long period is more important that occasional flashes of brilliance.

I think that's an industry issue. Somewhere along the line, being a solid writer and reporter became secondary to being a star. Because why be solid when you can be a star? Kids come out of college and they think they know something about writing and reporting. They read a foof like Simmons and he's "brilliant." So if awkwardly inserting a Karate Kid reference worked for ol' Billy, they think it can work for them.