Reading old work, how to deal with the cringe?

Hi!

Last night I opened my computer to work on my current story, but instead went way back in my Google docs to read the old fanfic I’d written in high school… big mistake! It was so bad it made me feel sickened by myself. Granted, I was a teen when I wrote this and I’m an adult now, and it was kpop fanfiction of all things. But oh my god, now I’m scared to write at all. So any advice on dealing with cringing at yourself? How to drop shame and keep on writing? How can I change my perspective on my old work? Anyone have a similar experience? Thanks!

Posted Mar 6, 2026, 9:45 PM UTC

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