# Jelous?



## helium (Nov 28, 2014)

Do you ever get jelous when there's better writing on the forum than you? They get praised and acclaimed prizes. How do you react?


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## Gamer_2k4 (Nov 29, 2014)

I usually tell myself, "Nah, they can't be that good.  If they were, why would they be here?"


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## shadowwalker (Nov 29, 2014)

There will always be better writers than I. There will always be worse writers, as well. As long as I know I'm doing my best, doesn't matter.


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## Gavrushka (Nov 29, 2014)

My evolution as a writer: 

I first assumed everyone would be jealous of me, for the cloak of greatness rested on my shoulders alone.

And then I discovered other writers who thought they too were purveyors of perfection, and I was struck by a huge 'hmmmmm' that fell from the sky on a clear day.

And then I found it in me to discover merit in other amateur writers, and recognised they all travelled the same road as me, some further along, some a little way behind... And then there are some who are anchored at the very beginning of their travels, enshrouded by narcissism, convinced they've reached the promised land.

I once felt an irrational anger (disguised jealousy) when another writer produced a little piece of awesome. Now I celebrate their success, and continue on my personal journey to wherever it will lead. - I enjoy writing so much that it's enough in itself.

But, yes, you're all allowed to be jealous of me. After all, I am the Gavrushka.:icon_joker:


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## sunaynaprasad (Nov 29, 2014)

I often envy writers whose books sell a lot better than mine.


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## Jeko (Nov 29, 2014)

I think the stories I write might get jealous, but I don't. I just keep practising the craft, knowing that I'm in pursuit of my own individual opportunity for success.


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## escorial (Nov 29, 2014)

i can often read peoples stuff on here and admire every aspect of it..i'm not a competitive person and feel no urge to compare my stuff with others but value their comments and critique.


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## popsprocket (Nov 29, 2014)

I'm much too arrogant to ever feel jealous


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## Deleted member 56686 (Nov 29, 2014)

I'm not jealous. I'm just in awe of some of the writing here.  :smile:

However I am extremely jealous that Schrody can wear more bananas on her head than me! :frown: 


And pineapples too :tongue2:


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## Plasticweld (Nov 29, 2014)

I am not the richest in my circle of friends, not the oldest, not the most articulate, not the funniest, my wife is better looking than me.

Why start a new trend when it comes to writing. 

For me not to be jealous of anyone's writing, and or admire it.  I would have to belong to Righin4ums.com not this site


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## Nemesis (Nov 29, 2014)

Jealous? Maybe a little bit, just sometimes. But I remind myself that I should save it for when I know I've given it my all and have done aboslutely everything I could possibly do to improve and am still not as good.....

;D


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## Bishop (Nov 29, 2014)

Being jealous of someone on this site is a waste of my time. Being jealous of Stephen King is a waste of my time. We're writers. On this site, we're on the same team, all trying to just become better writers. In fact, I get proud when I see great writing on this site, and it makes me feel great about our community, that we're producing that level of craftmanship. 

So, no, jealousy does nothing for me. Learning from better writers does do something for me.


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## TKent (Nov 29, 2014)

I do find myself with word count envy. LOL  Actually, I think of jealous as a bad thing and envy as something that can be used in a very positive way to motivate myself. I can be envious of someone I care about and not feel negatively about them at all.

So if you are feeling that way, take some time and go through the creative boards. Try to find writing you really like by writers who have been members for a long time. Go to their profile and find their 'started threads' and look at their old stuff. See how they have improved over time. I've only been here since May and my writing has drastically improved. I'm not bragging, it is still pretty bad, but it is definitely better. Those are the sort of things I latch on to to keep me going. 

We were really poor growing up, and I envied the kids who had nice clothes, whose parents picked them up in cars that were all one color (ours always had a few panels in primer gray and you could hear them coming a mile away). I was a happy kid, but boy did I dream of bigger and better* things. I took those desires and put them into going to college (the first in all of my mother's side of the family and she had 7 siblings with lots of kids). So anyone, I've personally found that envy has a good side.

*better is 100% subjective and for me it changes as I get older. In the old days, my grandma served hoe cakes when she couldn't afford white bread from the store, and I preferred the _better _store bought bread. I had hoe cakes about ten years ago served at_ Our Lady and Sons_, a very cool restaurant in Savannah and realized they tasted 100 times better than store bought bread. LOL.


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## Mistique (Nov 29, 2014)

Bishop said:


> Being jealous of someone on this site is a waste of my time. Being jealous of Stephen King is a waste of my time. We're writers. On this site, we're on the same team, all trying to just become better writers. In fact, I get proud when I see great writing on this site, and it makes me feel great about our community, that we're producing that level of craftmanship.
> 
> So, no, jealousy does nothing for me. Learning from better writers does do something for me.



Sometimes feeling jealous does help me as it points out to me that there is something in the writing of the other writer that attracts me. It is something I can try to learn from. Just like Bishop is refering to here.


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## Deafmute (Nov 29, 2014)

Not so much jealous, sometimes a little sad. I work and write and sometimes I create something I am really proud of, then I read something either from a great writer here or something professional, and I just kinda sit back and sigh. Its that chill that runs down your back as you recognize you just read something beautiful, something special. Then I get a craving to write again. because that is why I write, I want more than anything to send those chills down other peoples backs.


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## Mistique (Nov 29, 2014)

Deafmute said:


> Not so much jealous, sometimes a little sad. I work and write and sometimes I create something I am really proud of, then I read something either from a great writer here or something professional, and I just kinda sit back and sigh. Its that chill that runs down your back as you recognize you just read something beautiful, something special. Then I get a craving to write again. because that is why I write, I want more than anything to send those chills down other peoples backs.



That is a very beautiful description. This makes me a little jealous


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## Dave Watson (Nov 29, 2014)

Nope, like others have said, when I read really good stuff on here - or anywhere really - it makes me happy because it reinforces the belief that there are people out there that are capable of producing quality writing. I think it's like being able to handle rejection. If you get jealous of others' talent or can't handle rejection, you're in the wrong game. 

Don't get mad. Get better.


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## Pluralized (Nov 29, 2014)

Never thought much about being 'jealous' of another writer. I'm always learning, and the writers I admire are the inspiration for me to improve and write more like them. There are ten or fifteen pieces in the Workshop that I go back to regularly, referencing them for inspiration, and I've never really felt what I would call envy or anything, but have been awed and impressed by certain writers' ability to convey emotions and describe settings and do things in way fewer words than I do. Like this post, for example. 

Now, the selfie thread, that's a different story. Jealous of just about everyone and their chiseled visages.


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## dale (Nov 29, 2014)

i'm never jealous of other people's writing. i just think i don't try hard enough with my own.


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## dale (Nov 29, 2014)

i AM jealous at how quickly some writers here write, though. i'd love to be able to kick out a novel in 3 or 4 months like some
here say they do. i'm quite envious of that.


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## Deleted member 56686 (Nov 29, 2014)

I wrote my first novel in about three months. I'm not sure how good it is though :lol:


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## T.S.Bowman (Nov 29, 2014)

I get jealous of Bishop. But that's just because I hate him. :bull_head:


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## InstituteMan (Nov 29, 2014)

I started out intimidated by the talent around here, but I can't say that I've ever been jealous.


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## Bishop (Nov 29, 2014)

T.S.Bowman said:


> I get jealous of Bishop. But that's just because I hate him. :bull_head:









Seriously, there's not much to be jealous of, I'm not very good... YET.


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## Clerically (Nov 30, 2014)

I don't know - I don't really feel jealous so much as I feel humbled.


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## garza (Nov 30, 2014)

Of course I get jealous. My usual reaction is to throw a chair across the room. I go through a lot of chairs that way because there are many good writers here.


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## bazz cargo (Nov 30, 2014)

> *OP Helium*. Do you ever get jelous when there's better writing on the forum than  you?


 Nope. 





> *OP Helium.* They get praised and acclaimed prizes. How do you react?


Respect.


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## Sam (Nov 30, 2014)

helium said:


> Do you ever get jelous when there's better writing on the forum than you? They get praised and acclaimed prizes. How do you react?



I ban them.


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## T.S.Bowman (Nov 30, 2014)

Bishop said:


> Seriously, there's not much to be jealous of, I'm not very good... YET.



That's where you are mistaken my friend. You ARE good and you are only going to get better.


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