The Writing Coach Podcast 78: Professional jealousy

WCP78 Professional jealousy

Here’s looking at you, you green-eyed monster, you. Feeling jealous of another writer’s assignment, grant, income, relationship, skill, talent, age, credits, social media presence, book contract, education, or any other attribute can act like a double whammy. First, the compare and despair mode derails us from our own work and can be a huge time suck.

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Here’s looking at you, you green-eyed monster, you.

Feeling jealous of another writer’s assignment, grant, income, relationship, skill, talent, age, credits, social media presence, book contract, education, or any other attribute can act like a double whammy.

First, the compare and despair mode derails us from our own work and can be a huge time suck. Once you start down this particular rabbit hole, you can spend an awful long time down there not writing, not pitching, not developing or nurturing your own career. It’s procrastination without the short-term pleasure many other distractions offer.

Secondly, we tend to judge, shame, and avoid our jealousy. When a writer friend has achieved something, we tell ourselves, we should be able to celebrate her. By adding a moral dimension to a natural human emotion, we complicate and ironically often prolong the jealous feelings.

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