Writers, as a whole, don’t tend to be the most secure, unfazed people. And I mean this in the nicest possible way. We are the dented and tattered folks who have realized that our ragged experiences and inner thoughts are the best fuel for creativity. We embrace them and turn them into art.
The challenge, however, is that the rich inner world that makes the magic of writing possible can also impair you to the point of dysfunction. It can take you down. So that’s what we’re talking about today.
This is about listening to the voices in your head that are telling you to write, that you have a story worth telling, or a writing style worth exploring.
Those other voices, the cruel ones that agree vehemently with your deepest fear, that you’re an idiot and an impostor, those are just the bullies on the playground. Kick them to the curb.
Answering the what-ifs that block creativity
Let’s do a little question and answer session with your inner critic. Let’s pretend the bully voices in your head are really loud right now and the rest of us can hear them. This is great, because we–your personal advocates–are prepared to answer all of their taunts.
Q&A with your inner critic:
Q: What if I write crap?
A: That is a legitimate concern. But the fact is, if you don’t practice, you won’t get better at it. Go ahead and write crap. It it so much better to write crap than nothing at all, because each crappy thing you write is one more crappy project behind you, which (hopefully) brings you inexorably to the not-so-crappy writing.
Q: What if people hate my stuff?
A: It’s okay. They will likely be too polite to say so. Also, if you tell them you’re working on improving your writing and would like some feedback, you may even get some tips that will help.
Q: What if the feedback is “You are a terrible writer. Pick another hobby.”
A: Seriously, listen to yourself. Even if some really super mean bully said that out loud, it would probably just make you more determined to prove them wrong. Go ahead and risk it.
Q: What if I hate my own writing?
A: That is an admirable fear. Go ahead and hate it. Then work at it. Make it better. The time to worry is when you really love your stuff. Because when your words are too precious, you won’t be open to editing. And the fact is, all writing needs to be edited. No exceptions.
Q: What if I write my heart out and can never get published?
A: Also a legitimate concern. Writing is hard. Getting published is even harder. But you didn’t start on this adventure because it was easy, did you? If you never get published, you will still have done something creative and will have made amazing discoveries along the way.
So, it’s not about waiting until you feel secure enough to write and put your stuff out there. It’s about recognizing that the insecurity you feel is normal, that you may not conquer your fears in this lifetime, and that if you don’t want to spend your elder years wondering what it would have been like to pursue that dream, you’d best go ahead and try it.
With that said, if you are serious about improving your writing, consider joining a writers’ group or workshop. I can highly recommend The Writers’ Block (link below), as a venue for conversing about writing and getting your work critiqued. But first, if fear is getting in the way of writing something you can workshop, you have to get past that and write anyway.
There are many ways to get started writing. For example:
- Find prompts and contests on Steemit. (See my post about contests and prompts.)
- Write your childhood memories in third person and embellish them with non-factual details.
- Ask a parent or grandparent to talk about their life experiences, and then write a fictionalized version.
- Do some research about a time in history that interests you and come up with a fictional person who may have lived in that time. (See my post about historical fiction.)
Just remember that fiction works must involve character development and conflict. If your writing feels hollow, it likely is missing one of those key elements.
If any of this resonates with you, please share what you do to break out of your fear and insecurity and get writing. If you’re looking for feedback on your work, see the link to The Writers’ Block below.
Thank you for checking out my writing workshop series. Each post provides ideas and inspiration, invites #discussion about a fiction writing topic, and provides encouragement to write and share your work.
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