A friend recently sent me this quote from author Elizabeth Gilbert who wrote “Eat, Pray, Love”:

“Continuing to write after that heartache of disappointment doesn’t take only discipline, but also self-forgiveness (which comes from a place of kind and encouraging and motherly love). The other thing to realize is that all writers think they suck. When I was writing “Eat, Pray, Love”, I had just as a strong a mantra of THIS SUCKS ringing through my head as anyone does when they write anything. But I had a clarion moment of truth during the process of that book. One day, when I was agonizing over how utterly bad my writing felt, I realized: “That’s actually not my problem.” The point I realized was this – I never promised the universe that I would write brilliantly; I only promised the universe that I would write. So I put my head down and sweated through it, as per my vows.”

Check out the rest of what Elizabeth had to say on her website regarding writing and passion. It’s inspiring stuff.

Writing can get to you after awhile.  Reactions to your work vary and you can’t control what others will think or why a certain piece didn’t resonate.  You can only control how you take in all the criticisms, suggestions, etc.   I am about to begin another re-write on my screenplay Twig.  And after that, my play Animal awaits (although, I’m not sure how much of a re-write Animal will be).

What I do know is this:  I need to keep “sweating through it” and not complain or worse yet, find excuse not to write.   Because it’s easy not to write – no one is forcing this on me, no one is looking.   Feeling sorry for myself is not an option.  No place for pity here.

So……Pick up the pen and go.