F is for Floccinaucinihilipilification

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floc-ci-nau-ci-ni-hil-i-pil-i-fi-ca-tion

[flok-suh-naw-suh-nahy-hil-uh-pil-uh-fi-key-shuh  n]

noun: Rare. the estimation of something as valueless (encountered mainly as an example of one of the longest words in the English language).

origin: 1735–45;  < Latin floccī  + naucī  + nihilī  + pilī  all meaning “of little or no value, trifling” + -fication

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A lot of people I know seem to be falling victim to floccinaucinihilipilification at the moment – belittling their own work and claiming the ‘shit’ they write should never see the light of day. Pfft, who told you it was ever going to see the light of day anyway?

There are many reasons to give something up. If it’s bad for you for instance, of if your other half decides to withhold sex until you do so…actually in that case give up the partner, get really good at the thing they wanted you to give up, and use it to get alllll the sex you could ever wish for. Unless your thing is stamp collecting – I don’t care how good you are at stamp collecting, how many Treskilling Yellows or Inverted Jennys you have…you, my friend, are getting zero squishy. Until the end of time.

The worst reason in the world to give something up is because you suck at it. In fact that’s the exact reason you should stick at it! I don’t care how many child prodigy documentaries you’ve watched, or how many people have claimed this is their ‘first time’ and ended up being amazing at something (see ‘squishy’), there is no substitute for experience and dedication…and sticking with your craft.

Notice how I’m not saying ‘because you THINK you suck at it’, there’s no doubt there – you do suck at it. It might be hard to hear but I can promise you it’s true. You might be alright, maybe even a little good, but as soon as you compare yourself to someone better you take a one way ticket back to Sucksville, ME.

And there’s the rub.

You have to suck at something long enough for it to get really good (squishy?).

Complaining you’re bad at something is like saying you’re bored.

Get unbored, motherfucker!

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“I’m bored’ is a useless thing to say. I mean, you live in a great, big, vast world that you’ve seen none percent of. Even the inside of your own mind is endless; it goes on forever, inwardly, do you understand? The fact that you’re alive is amazing, so you don’t get to say ‘I’m bored.”

― Louis C.K.

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The same thing applies to “being bad” – get unbad (mother…etc.)

Of course your writing is bad, that’s why (and because) you’re here reading the advice of someone equally sucky (I mean for Christ’s sake, I use words like ‘sucky’ and ‘unbored’ – why are you listening to me?).

Your work shouldn’t see the light of day…not yet. It’s a hell of a long journey to perfect a craft. Even the guys you love and respect are still working on their skills. Don’t expect an epiphany marked by thunderclaps and rainbows when you’re brain suddenly clicks to ‘WRITER MODE’. You’re not suddenly going to see the world in Matrix code and be one with the written word, it just doesn’t work like that.

You will most likely ALWAYS think you suck.

And that’s a good thing. It means you will ALWAYS try and improve.

Stop being a floccinaucinihilipilificatrix and take a leaf out of the L’Oreal handbook.

Because you’re worth it.

*wink*