Two plot consultations in two days with two writers struggling with the same dilemma I see more than any other and could very well be the deadliest writers’ flaw of all. An overzealous critic silences the creative process in general and especially so in the first draft.
1) I encourage you to keep going. Do not go back and start again. Rather, pick up where you left off and write all the way through to the end. Write early in the morning before the critic has awakened — your beast, so to speak. Do not read what you’ve written.Â
2) Give yourself positive affirmations about your writing. Write them on post-it notes and post all over the house = on your bathroom mirror, the refrig, etc. Tell yourself:
- I am a great writer
- I enjoy the creative process of writing my thoughts down on paper for others to enjoy
- I marvel at my ability to fill up a blank page with valuable information
- I am grateful for the creative muse to visit me and inspire me and allow words to flow from me to the page.Â
Continue with your own messages to yourself.
Reprogram your belief system. Don’t give in to the belief that you are not good enough, that you are not a writer or whatever else you are now currently saying to yourself. See yourself sitting down writing and enjoying the process, enjoying seeing the words flow, enjoying seeing your imagination become reality. Visualize this over and over and over again as you’re driving, brushing your teeth, hanging out. Believe in yourself as a writer.
At first it will feel false, soon it will be real.
Turn off your critic. Allow yourself to be a true writer which means you appreciate the creative process and that the right words do not always come out the first time, that you cannot always convey what you imagine for your story the first time. Writing is a process. Get the words down. Later you can go back and be brilliant.
Finish first. Remember what you are good at. Forget everything else. Writing is all that matters now.
Just what I needed to hear. My critic is quite vocal and keeps me from moving forward.
Great advice. I have a terrible time with self affirmation – I'm not one to blow my own horn. 😉
Linking back to you!
What you or others may criticize is only what is at least reasonably scientific. The word meanings, the grammar (except maybe in dialog), the story structure (Huh? What's story structure?), etc.
What you or others may not criticize (at least you ignore it), is your artistic side. Yes, you may like the idea of Howdy Doody on Mars. But, is it sellable? You don't critique the idea, but you can say (and accept), "Let's ramp that up a bit. Make it a really high concept."
While there are some parts of writing that are both "scientific" and artistic, you've got to learn to ignore the slams on the artistic side.
Pacing, for example: Sometimes you want it very fast, other times, very slow — and others in between. While the times to slow down or speed up are somewhat on the artistic side (can you have a slow plot point or climax?), how to do it is well-established. Accept some criticism on the how, but not necessarily the when.
Thank you.
I have fallen victim to my own internal "overzealous critic" and yes, it smothers the creative process.
In particular, you have hit the mark with this, "At first it will feel false . . ." in reference to giving myself positive affirmations about my writing – or much of anything else for that matter. I will have another go at this and do my best to keep at it until it becomes real.
Thank you so very much for the encouragement to reconnect with our creativity, ourselves and our writing.
Sandra
A positive post. Thanks for the push forward.
Thanks, Martha. THis is just what I needed to hear today!