By Jennifer Blanchard
You’ve probably heard of naysayers and haters. They’re the people who talk negatively to you and tell you that your writing dreams won’t ever happen.
Or they’re the people who criticize the work you do and make you feel bad about your skills.
Or they’re the people who say things like, “The world is a cruel, unfair place,” and, “Life is hard. Dreams don’t come true.”
Regardless of who these people are in your life or what they say to you, you have to ignore them.
Ignore the Naysayers and the Haters
It’s important to keep in mind that you can’t please everyone all the time. You can’t do it. (And that’s probably one of the few times you’ll ever see me use the word can’t.)
You can’t do it because there is no pleasing everyone. Some people are here just to make your life miserable. They’re here to point out all your errors and mistakes. It makes them feel better about themselves to do this.
If you’re going to be a professional writer, you must learn now to ignore those who are in opposition to what you want to achieve in your life. Because if you can’t, you’ll always allow those people to set limitations for you or to be your excuse for not reaching your dreams.
Being a writer isn’t easy.
There’s a level of putting yourself out there and opening yourself up to criticism that many other hobbies and professions don’t have.
You have to accept that now if you’re ever going to move forward with your writing dreams.
Yes, constructive criticism is an important tool to becoming a better writer.
But what naysayers and haters have to say is usually not constructive, it’s just critical. Huge difference.
Here are some ways to ignore the negative buzz that floats around you:
- Just plain ignore it–Refuse to listen to it. Refuse to even consider it.
- Give yourself a positive response–When someone says something negative or naysays around you, repeat to yourself the opposite of whatever the person said. So if they said, “You’ll never be a fiction writer,” tell yourself, “I’m going to be a fiction writer.”
- Create a writing affirmation–I know I talk a lot about writing affirmations, but I can’t help it. They’re so useful and awesome! A writing affirmation is a positive statement that you repeat to yourself several times a day. It can be anything from “I’m a brilliant writer” to “This novel is awesome.” Whatever makes you feel confident when you say it.
- Be confident–If you write, you’re a writer, period. So be confident in that knowledge. You are a writer. You don’t have to make money to be a writer. You don’t have to write for a living. You’re a writer if you write. And your skills—wherever they may be right now—will only get better the more you write.
It will be much easier to ignore the negativity around you when you believe in yourself as a writer.
How do you ignore the naysayers and the haters in society and your life?
About the Author: Jennifer Blanchard is founder of Procrastinating Writers. Be sure to follow her on Twitter.
