Living a Life I Don't Know How to Live

I think everyone who creates with words (and, probably, everyone who creates, period, but I'm not familiar with other creative processes, and can't speak for them--words I know, words I can understand) feels this way, sometimes only late in a story, when everything is falling apart, sometimes always, through every line and thought. It's impossible to tell you that your words are appreciated, by me, by others, because no matter how much feedback a writer gets, it's never enough. It's salt water when you're thirsty--each drop just makes it that much worse. But that's all I can do, and I don't expect it to convince you that you are talented, because you are, or that people do appreciate your words, because they do, but I hope, maybe, it will help just a little, right at this moment. And sometimes that's all a writer can do, grab each iota of feedback, and feel better, for the moment.

I wrote this in response to a friend's entry about writing, but now I want to know what you all think. How do you deal with the lack of feedback? How do you deal with feeling as if you're inadequate, and will never write anything worth reading? How do you deal with the emotional aspect of writing? Do you think there is an emotional aspect to writing? Please, discuss. I look forward to seeing what you have to say.