Do you enjoy, or can't you stand, reading your own work?

I've heard it said a number of times that writers hate reading their own work. So, all you writers, how do you feel about this? Do you enjoy reading what you put down on the page, or do you, even when beta readers sing your praises, cringe and groan at what you've written and constantly want to rewrite it?

2009-01-12T17:38:11Z

For myself, it is a little hit and miss. I consider myself a fair writer: not Nobel Prize worthy, perhaps, but not a total hack, either. I do not lack confidence in myself when I put pen to paper. I know that what I write is reasonably good.
Still, there are times when I read certain sections I gape in astonishment and wonder, "What the hell was I thinking, writing drivel like that?"
It comes with the territory, I guess.

Anonymous2009-01-12T16:29:32Z

Favorite Answer

It is so different for me day to day. Some days, I'll read over it and think everything sounds awful together, even the whole plot. I wonder why I write and spend so much time on it. Other days, though, I'll think it's great and feel so proud of myself.
But, honestly, I don't think someone can judge a book when they are the ones who wrote it. They need outside critisism and support :)

Anonymous2009-01-12T16:28:16Z

It depends. If the writing is something I'm still interested in I want to or I am working on it, then I hate it. I'm always rewriting.
But if I go back to read something I read a long time ago, that I'm not going to bother fixing (no matter how horrible it is) then I kind of enjoy it.

Erica2009-01-12T16:28:34Z

Honestly, if this makes any sense whatsoever, both. It depends what exactly i've written. some of it is quite embarrassing, while other things i enjoy reading because it gives me something to think about. I used to show my parents my work but i guess i didnt feel like they appreciated it enough (probably for good reason) but i was a few years younger then so i guess i thought it was wonderful. haha but thats the best answer i have =]

what about you?

seafairy22009-01-12T16:28:10Z

I love to write, it is my passion! But yes, it is true, that whenever I write something and I reread it or have someone else read it and I get praise, I feel not too great about it...I like to get the praise and I like to know that what I am writing is being appreciated, but I don't like to read it because there's always something that I end up not liking, and want to change.

kashtastic2009-01-12T16:27:07Z

I find it really hard to read. All these mistakes just jump out at me and it never feels very well written. That may be because anything I've written hasn't been very well written...

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