I can insert a name or 7 that whipped out their red pens and danced all over what ever paper lay before them. It didn’t even have to be mine for me to get upset. “How dare you trash the hopes and dreams of a future writer, storyteller, or journalist?” I host a critique group. When I discussed the idea with my college professor, he gave me one rule and I hammer it into everyone that sits at the table with me: “Never crush another’s dream.” What that means is even if their writing is subpar it is not my place to take it away from them. We don’t always know why someone writes. It may be from joy, loneliness, and even a form of therapy. Never crush the dream.
Hello, all my awesome friends. It is that time again. The time where we come together,
gather our books and learn. Turn to page 47 of Around the Writer’s Block by Rosanne Bane, and let’s take a journey together. Make sure your cuppa is full, nibbles are handy, and you are comfortable for the ride. Ready? GO!
Sometimes the reason we are having trouble writing is because we are thinking of who may read it. If you have had someone in the past blast your writing, you may see the “The End” page as a threat. The longer it takes to get to that page the safer you are from critical readers. In the early stages, writing can be enjoyable and even relaxing. Once you have an audience to please it can get sticky. I recently took a peek at my reviews and was mostly happy with them…but there was a 2 star out there.
I only wish I knew why they didn’t like the book. They didn’t leave a review. I became focused on that one 2 star that I pushed myself right into a tight writer’s block. “They don’t like me.” “I suck as a writer.” “I’m wasting everyone’s time.” It was one single solitary person who through me into a tizzy. This was where my English teacher with a fascination with red ink poked her head up and said, “I told you so.” Be gone vile creature!
This is when we freeze. We are triggered without truly being aware of why.
When threatened, all mammals will freeze for a moment before choosing to fight or flee. – Rosanne Bane (pg 29)
To freeze means a short-lived response. This is the few days version of “writer’s block.”
Fight is either a response to yourself, someone else, or both. Maybe you got a harsher than anticipated critique and it weighed heavy on you. It can even be as silly as losing a file, being a perfectionist, and negative self-talk can also make you angry and defensive. (Email your files to yourself regularly so that you are always able to find them. No matter where you are.)
Flee- or escape can rise from uncomfortable situation like forms of resistance. Fleeing could be a way to escape into social media, hobbies, work, family, and obligations. These are all excuses to not stay in your chair to write.
Until we have learned to rewire the pathways of our brain this can and will happen. Don’t worry the answers are coming-
Time to get to know ourselves.
Challenge: HOW DO YOU DO? Page 30
• What do I usually do after the freeze? Do I stare at the blank screen, then flee to check my email? Or is it that little pause when I think about writing and then decide I’ll do that later after I…?
• How many ways do I run away from writing? How do I distract myself? What do I tell myself I need to do before I can write? Do I keep myself too busy to write?
• How and who do I fight? Who do I criticize? What do I complain about? What feedback or advice have I rejected?
Polish your sparkle and just keep twirling.
Find joy. Be joy. Enjoy.
I’m always looking for new friends! 😊
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PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS ON BOOKS. We grow and learn from your input. Be part of the solution not the continuation of the problem.
New Ink. Used Ideas. 