Why is it so hard to believe the good stuff?

And so easy to believe the bad.

A thing about me is I love listening to people talk about how they write — the process, the struggle, the joy, the habits. All of it. I find it inspiring, but also weirdly comforting. This is exactly why when my friend and Bad on Paper co-host Becca recommended a podcast where authors (and all-around lovely humans) Ashley Winstead and Carley Fortune discuss their experience with writing and publishing books, I listened almost immediately. The episode is a great discussion in which both women are frank about their insecurities, imposter syndrome, and more, but there’s one part in particular I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since I heard it.

I’m paraphrasing, but at some point in the episode, Ashley says something along the lines of: I believe every bad review I read about my books, and I doubt every good review. I’ve never published a book, but I’ve had the dream of publishing a book, so I’ve inevitably fantasized about what it would be like to: See your name in print. See y…