My work stinks

Why do people say their stuff is rubbish so openly?

I've come to believe that somehow they feel it "cool" to do so.

What do you think?

Or possibly because they're insecure about their work? That could possibly play a hand.

Yeah, I sometimes feel a little uneasy when I post my work on here. I've only been writing seriously for a little while and there are so many fantastic writers on here, so it's fairly easy to feel overwhelmed and a little anxious.

Because my writing does stink?

There's no ulterior motive.

Yeah, frankly, my writing is pretty bad, so that's why I say it is. XD To put it in perspective, I'm on the edge of completely shredding and throwing away a novel I've been working on for going on four years, on giving up the idea all together, because it's just so sickeningly bad. XD

But I suppose part of it could be that, besides the uneasiness about the quality of their writing, a lot of people don't want to look bad, either. Like, it makes you look a lot better if you say "this chapter is really pretty lame" and it is, than to think and say "this is my best chapter ever" and... have everyone point out that it's actually pretty lame. In a sense, it's sort of deliberately keeping expectations low? XD

I would probably do the same, but I don't think anyone's ever expected something from my writing (except, perhaps, being a cause of vomiting, headdesking, throwing their computers at the wall, swine flu, and global warming XD).

Well, anyway, I can't speak for anyone else, but I know I do it because I'm one of the least-quality writers on this forum, and I know it. XD

I agree with the above post.

However, being quite the veteran of self-degrading humor, I think sometimes it could be that too. Just people making fun of themselves.

Of course, a lot of writing DOES stink, especially first drafts.

You also have to take into account how some people's first drafts look amazing, but when you see it polished up they look even better. And, since the author knows they can do better when their work is polished, they consider those first drafts "horrible" even though a lot of people might be telling them it's good.