Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Insecure Writer's Support Group: Stupid Movies/Insecurities

I watched a movie the other day that many people have raved about. The movie was released a few years ago, yet I haven't ever watched it. The flick showed up on my Netflix-you-might-enjoy-watching-this-movie list. I put it in my queue thinking I might watch it one day just because peeps have mentioned it's a good one and rather hilarious.
Well, when I was sick a couple weeks ago, I finally backed down and watched the said film. I won't say which one it is as not to offend.

All I can say is: I. Hated. The. Movie.

Ok, hate is a strong word. I'll opt for disliked.

From the first scene until the last one I felt myself becoming stupid to stupider to stupidest, not to say I was stupid from the very beginning. Although, perhaps I was stupid even to watch the movie to begin with, eh?

That being said, no matter how much I thought: "This movie is stupid. Why am I watching it? I should just turn it off. My brain cells are disappearing in great numbers with every second I continue watching this stupid movie." I just couldn't stop watching it. I was pulled in by its sheer stupidity that I had to find out what was going to happen. Ugh!

This makes me think of how my brain works--no, no, I'm not saying I'm stupid--I'm saying that how my brain functions is like watching this movie. As a writer, I'm extremely critical about my writing, very insecure and dwell on these insecurities until they fester and grow to enormous sky-scrapper sized blobs of insanity. I just can't stop feeding them, therefore I take counsel from my fears when I should just turn my fears off and have faith.

Faith in my craft. Faith in my journey. Faith in, well, ME--Julia King and I'm supercool!

Like the rather stupid movie I watched, I shouldn't pay heed to these fears. I should just write because I've got stories to tell. It'd be so much easier that way and far more productive. But how to do that when the insecurities are so ingrained in the miniscule fibers of my brain? That is the million dollar question!
I don't know. I don't know if I'll ever know. All I can do is keep going. All writers with insecurities can do is keep going. It isn't easy but it is worth it.

So stop watching a stupid movie if it's stupid. And stop adding fuel to your insecurities. Start thinking about how ridiculously awesome you are!

So there!

Writing Jewels

18 comments:

  1. Stop watching the stupid movie, stop reading the stupid book - just stop the stupid!
    Faith and fear will always do battle in us, but we just have to remember one thing - faith really is the stronger of the two.
    And sorry if it was a stupid movie I recommended.

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    1. "Stop the stupid!" - wise advice from Alex himself. You crack me up. Love your faith and fear advice--now that is as sound as it comes. And the movie wasn't one you recommended, at least to my knowledge. :) As always, thanks for stopping by.

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    1. Nope, not even close. Rob, you are way cold on that one. haha Thanks for stopping by, Rob.

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    2. There's a certain charm in terrible movies. I'm something of a connoisseur and if you ever need a terrible movie recommendation, I can help you find one.

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    3. *shakes head* Rob, you would be. haha Now here's a stupid movie--Troll 2. Have you seen that one?

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  3. Sorry you didn't like it... whatever movie it was. I've come across some like that before. I watched this movie which one the best picture award one year and it was supposed to be great. I absolutely hated, not disliked, hated the movie. Stop watching a stupid movie is great advice!

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    1. Hated. Wow! Well, I hope I never cross paths with that movie.

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  4. Some times we learn a lot from watching pure crap. lol

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  5. I needed to read this today, Julia. I'm finishing up revisions and I'm already telling myself that my CP's are going to bust it up and hate on it. I'm not even done writing it! Why do we do this? I LOVE writing. And when I think about that, the doubts fall away. But man, they do sneak up on us, don't they?

    Just know, you aren't alone, sister. :)

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    1. Oh, Emily, I'm glad I could offer you something helpful. Yes, keeping the LOVE of writing in perspective is all we can do. Hugs, sister!

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  6. I used to force myself to finish every book I read and every movie I started watching, but you know? It's okay to not like something even if it seems like everyone else does. Now, I stop when I'm not into something and I find something I do like.

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    1. I have a couple books and maybe one movie that I have stopped reading/watching. They were far too obnoxious for my taste. I wasn't afraid to get rid of them. I should do so more often, not be worried I'm going to miss something awesome when the awesomeness may never come.

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  7. I'm vicious when I watch movies or books. I can tolerate some stupid, but if I really dislike how it's going, I have no qualms about snapping a book shut or turning off a movie. But I do understand the disappointment felt when you're expecting a movie to be good and it turns out to be crap. Hope the next one is better for ya! (:

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    1. Yet, there are some movies that I've had extremely low expectations for and then it turns out to be the BEST ever movie. I've seen some good flicks since the said stupid movie fiasco. haha

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  8. I agree with Emily King, I LOVE to write. When someone asks me what I see myself doing for the rest of my life and getting paid to do it, its writing. Pure and simple. But the stupid movies and books, I have to admit a few of them have found their way in my collections at times. But then when I get down or insecurities get to me, I can say " well they published or produced that, why not something of yours." Which yes I'm biased is better then what ever I find stupid about something I have found.

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    1. I love your positive attitude. Thanks for commenting to give me and hopefully others a shake in the right direction! Hugs

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