As the saying goes, you are your own worst critic.

That's the thing, though, I recently finished editing the whole thing and thought it was perfect, but I knew it would never actually pass muster. So, not only do I have to look at what I made and say that it's not good enough, I have to call my own aptitude as a writer into question and I don't want to have to do that. :(

Have you thought of letting someone else critique it?

That's how I did all of the edits. lol I had  stormhowl (who is also an amazing writer and you should check out his stuff!) read it through and send me suggestions chapter by chapter.

The second draft, though, is something the writer should do by themselves. It's a self-taught learning experience kind of thing. ;)

Ah, I understand.

Also, is this story something only for yourself or for others to enjoy as well?

Well, I hope to have it published someday. I'm also working on the second book right now, and I'm hoping for it to be a trilogy.

If you want to read the first draft, I have it up on Tumblr already, here - http://familyvaluesnovel.tumblr.com/

In that case, remember that once you feel your story is finally well-written, others may not.

Yeah, but that's a given. I'm not writing for other people though. I don't remember who said it, but it was something along the lines of, writers write the story they want to read. So, that's what I'm doing. I'm a huge book nerd, but I've never read a story like mine. Somewhat similar, sure, but not this story. I'm just making sure that this story is the story I want to read. :)

Sort of like art for art's sake?

Yeah, I guess. Why else create?

For profit.

I honestly cannot count the number of people I've seen who complain about getting burnt out when they create for no other reason than for profit. Neil Gaiman posts on his Tumblr quite often that he has never once created for profit, he creates only for himself, but decides to share that creation with the world. He's one of the most famous authors in the world and he considers all of his creations as for himself and the profit is just an extra surprise. I've never seen a happier writer than Neil Gaiman.

Aside from that, the artists who create for profit only are the ones who usually shit out the same thing again and again or end up doing the whole red box on an otherwise blank canvas that sells for millions. Other artists, real artists refuse to acknowledge them because the people who create for profit only make real artists look bad.

Dude, don't say "This isn't good enough".
Say "This is good. It has potential"

That's what I try to do. Even though I keep doing edits, lol. I think I just fear mailing it off and being rejected. ;)

But I'm such a pessimist! It isn't in my nature to say "this has potential"! D:

You're also bitter and angry, so I say let your bitter/angry side bitch slap your pessimist side until you start believing it.
No idea how you'll accomplish it. Maybe make an effigy of your pessimism and burn it?

I did at one point say that I was going to somehow create a physical embodiment of my anxiety and beat the shit out of it. I should really get on that. I could make one for all of my bad sides; my depression, my anxiety, my self-doubt, my hypochondria...

This...this could be a big business...