Ever have one of those days when a supervillain with a bulbous head seems to win, and all you can do is lie there and take it?
Jordie isn’t sure how he wound up tied up with his own cape. But suddenly he finds himself on the ground with a blade of death headed for him, and a supervillain softly cackling in the background.
But suddenly a friend comes along and works with you to turn the tide. The supervillain is subdued, thanks to teamwork.
If it hadn’t been for Sidney Duck, Jordie would have been toast. Now, the supervillain has been vanquished. Jordie and Sidney will share the cupcake, since the supervillain is headed to the nearest maximum security prison where cupcakes are not allowed.
Most of us will never have to face a supervillain along the lines of Hello Kitty, Dr. Evil, or Lex Luthor. But sometimes we’re the supervillain or at least we act like the henchperson of one. Who else but us plays the “You really messed that up” tape over and over in our head? Who else but us whispers, “You’ll never finish that” or “Everyone else will always be better at that than you”? You know where those statements come from: the real supervillains—Doubt and Defeat.
Dr. “One Meellion Dollars” Evil and Lex Luthor
But suddenly along comes a friend who sees things differently. Where we see, “Ugh! I can’t believe I wrote such crap,” he or she sees, “Wonderful,” “Could be awesome with just a little polish.”
Aside from being grateful to find a Cutie orange in my Happy Meal today, I’m grateful for my Secret Gardener and blogger friends who continually rally around with a few carefully chosen “You can do its” to help me vanquish Doubt and Defeat.
Writing is a solitary venture. Yet there are times when we writers need something that only someone else can provide: another perspective. Two heads are sometimes better than one.
So, when a supervillain like Doubt or Defeat comes around and whispers,
I’ll be back . . .
Do yourself a favor and call a friend. Don’t let Doubt have the last word.
And speaking of the last word . . .
Lex Luthor from youngjustice.wikia.com. Dr. Evil from cupofjoepowell.blogspot.com. Cat from LOL Cats.
El Space--The Blog of L. Marie 
Being a writer really is odd at times. We work alone, but still need to fall back on people for confidence. Yet it’s very often that you can’t find people physically around you for such a boost, so you network on-line or with author groups. That has the risk of you meeting another super-villain ‘The Jerk’ who seems to exist solely to tell people they’re wrong. Then you need to find someone else. Not sure where I’m going with this any more. Maybe it’s to find a core of supportive friends and never let them go. That or some days I wish we were still in the era of the reclusive author that was permitted to function in the shadows.
I know what you mean, Charles. In this day and age of the Internet, we’re all so public. There are some days when I wish we weren’t.
I’ve been in some weird writer groups too, mostly at libraries or bookstores where some frustrated people prey on the unwary.
I agree. There has to be a limit to what one puts out, but I’ve seen a lot of people want to get behind the curtain. Almost like we’re being turned into a society where privacy is more of a suggestion than a right.
I still think the strangest writer groups that I’ve been in is where someone tries to talk me out of being an author. Never knew what to do about those.
I’ve quit some of the weirder groups I’ve been in. In one group a guy was kind of a stalker. A friend of mine and I stopped going because of him.
I’ve been in groups of all kinds where something like that happened. Always a creeper somewhere.
In groups like that, perhaps they feel like they can get attention. But they wind up taking over the group and running other members away.
I don’t think many of them even realize what they do. They think everyone is like-minded and there’s no boundaries. Seems to get aimed at women mostly.
Love this L. Marie! Where would we be without our friends? 🙂
I appreciate the ones I have. You’re part of that group, Jill. 🙂
I never imagined Hello Kitty cackling. Now, whenever I enter my daughter’s bedroom, I feel slightly unnerved.
I can’t blame you, Andy. The ones who look the sweetest are the ones to watch out for. I never turn my back on her.
I thought there was a touch of Cruella d’ Ville in that last photo 🙂
I think I saw that as well. If I were a dalmatian, I’d be quaking right now. 🙂
Hello Kitty is such an unsuspecting figure for a Super Villain. Like Doubt, Despair, and Defeat . . . she’s a tricky rabbit!
Loved your analogy.
Thank you, Nancy. Yes, she is pretty tricky. You have to watch your back around her.
You are so awesome! I love the photo/story spread and the cow-maflage at the end. Lots of chuckles and an important message sandwiched between. Excellent! And, yes, sometimes a few words from a friend make ALL the difference.
Thank you.
They do indeed. I wouldn’t be writing today if it hadn’t been for friends.
*contented smile* Your posts always encourage me. Truly. And inspire. I may just need to designate a supervillain doll. My mom used to have a dangit doll. It was soft but sturdy, so you could whack it against things whilst using the curse-word-alternative-or-not of your choice. I could make a couple of them and call them Doubt and Defeat. 🙂
Good idea, ReGi! Give Doubt and Defeat a good whack for me!!
I’m the bad person around blog land lately. I’m struggling so much with an eye flare-up…..looking at a screen is tough, and given how much of that I’ve got to do right now, it leads to thoughts of doubt and defeat. Thanks for this post. I needed it.
Oh no. Are you having that trouble again? I remember you posted about that. Take care of yourself!!!
I just booked a treat for myself that I only get about once a year–a mani/pedi–because even if this was a bad work week, it’s still that…work. And don’t we work very hard at our writing?
Good idea, Naomi! I settled for buying some new nail polish. Every little bit helps!
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