Writing in Real Life

"Writing In Real Life is here for the writer who struggles, the writer who makes mistakes and the writer who is passionately committed to writing regardless of acknowledgment, reward or honors. I have been on four shows, but the majority of my writing has been for my own self-growth and entertainment. My goal is to tell the truth about my writing path so that others may learn from it, grow from it and maybe get more juice for their own creative endeavors."

Winning the Battle with the Inner Critic

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The ability to have full access to your emotions is a trait (or skill, or blessing, or curse…) that any well-rounded creative individual should possess. Writers are particularly susceptible to the nagging voice of their inner critic. Consider the myriad of characters – fictitious or real – that exert their influence on the writer’s intellectual and emotional product at any given step of the creative process. Thankfully, there are many tools at our disposal – like morning pages – that can assist in the battle against self-criticism, clearing the way for creativity to flourish.

Morning Pages
Morning Pages – a writing method introduced in The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron –  are three pages of stream of consciousness writing, done in longhand, first thing in the morning. The words that you evoke will often be ill-tempered, petty, even regretful. They should be whatever you happen to be when you wake up. Expelling these negative emotions from your mind and committing them to the page allows you to focus on your story. These three pages of seemingly random thoughts can allow a creatively relevant breakthrough to occur.
An Emotional Conversation
Having an emotional conversation with your inner critic, which can also be done as part of your three pages, is another tactic to use in your battle against negative thinking. This is your opportunity to do some detective work in your own psyche. Become acquainted. Tell your critic how it makes you feel, and what it does to your work. What is your inner critic trying to protect you from? Your process of self-discovery will give you the ability to tell your critic you no longer need its help during the creative process.

Talk Yourself Into Yourself
Occasionally, the negative words from your three pages will creep into your mind as you press forward with your writing goals. Try to notice those self-critical thoughts as they appear, and remember they are not permanent. Turn negative words into positive affirmations, and evolve cynical thoughts into practical optimism. In practice, “I’m a horrible writer” transforms into “I have unlimited potential”; while, “There’s no way I can finish” turns into “There’s no way I won’t finish”. Sometimes we have to convince ourselves of just how great we really are. Take comfort in knowing that if we keep at it, we will eventually begin to listen.

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