The Power of Positivity
Things are happening.
I suppose this is true every day, for every person. Things are happening. For me, things are are happening in my still embryonic writing career.
First, I submitted a short story (The One That Came Between) to a publication. I won't hear back for a while, submissions will be accepted until May 1, then they will make the final decisions. It's a long shot. However, the act of submitting something, of opening myself up and allowing a stranger to critique my writing, has been a huge step for me. This is a positive, even if it gets rejected.
Second, I joined an online writing community and it has been wonderful! I am learning so much and I am getting a lot of really wonderful feedback. I've put up the first five chapters of the novel I'm working on and overall the response has been good. Again, it was a hard decision to start to share my work with others, but largely rewarding. I've gotten some excellent suggestions for improvement, and what's more, I've found a lot of motivation and encouragement from my fellow writers. I love that they care about my story, and what's more, I love that they love my characters. I worked so hard to create them, and I've spent so long worrying that no one would care about them.
Keep writing.
Doubt is normal, but remember your voice and your story have value. Share it!