Reading through all the phenomenal reponses to last week’s prompt – the poetry, photography, the heartfelt reflections – I found myself more and more amazed by the creative thinking you all expressed. One after the other, you amazed me with the level of awareness you demonstrated, and the varied focal points that direct your creative lives. On a couple of occasions, I found myself so excited by what I was reading I jumped up from the computer and sat down at the piano, feeling a need to release some of that energy in a physical way that only pounding out a Beethoven piano sonata can do.
But, then it hit me. Suddenly I was paralyzed, stopped dead in my tracks across the keyboard. What the heck am I doing? I thought in a panic. Who am I to ask people – especially people as talented and creative as all of you are – to talk about their writing? After all, what do I – a humble housewife and office worker, who dabbles in wordplay – have to say about the writing process that could be of value to anyone?
Self-doubt assailed me.
Writer’s are notorious for doubting themselves, aren’t they? Certainly we’re all familiar with stories of the depressed writer, slugging gin and downing pills in an effort to stimlulate the muse. Unlike other creative work, the fruits of a writer’s labor aren’t immediately visible. We work away at putting words on paper, and in the end what do we have to show for it? Anyone can put words on paper, we think. What’s so special about that? Where do we get off thinking our words are better than those of the average joe sitting on the bar stool next to us? What’s so special about our vision of the world, our ideas, our little storylines?
Natalie Goldberg calls this voice “The Editor,” and says “the more clearly you know it, the better you can ignore it.” Write down what that Editor keeps saying, Goldberg advises, so you recognize those thoughts for what they are, simply “prattle in the background” of your mind, and can dismiss them as easily as you would the “distant sound of white laundry flapping in the wind.” Unless you do, it will take over your creative thoughts and smother them as effectively as a wet blanket does a flame. Instead, Goldberg continues, “have a sense of tenderness and determination toward your writing, a sense of humor and deep patience that you are doing the right thing.” (Writing Down the Bones)
Dorothea Brande also recommends a sense of tenderness toward your writing, a warm acceptance of your ability and the importance of putting words on the page. “Don’t follow yourself around nagging and suggesting and compaining,” she scolds. “Hold your own good work up to yourself as a standard…keep a friendly, critical eye on your progress.” (On Becoming A Writer)
I like the idea of being “tender” toward my writing, of “keeping a friendly eye on my progress.” Ultimately, I have to believe that my “vision of the world” has meaning, even if for no one other than myself, that the process of putting my thoughts and emotions on paper in the form of stories and essays is a worthwhile practice, and one that benefits my mind and spirit. Like the practice of yoga, where we come with “a willful determination but without pressure to be perfect,” the practice of writing helps us work toward expressing our minds and hearts in a beautiful and meaningful way.
Goldberg quotes Chogyam Trungpa, a Tibetan Buddhist master, as saying: “We must continue to open in the face of tremendous opporistion. No one is encouraging us to open and still we must peel away the layers of the heart.”
As we Write On Wendesdays, perhaps we can encourage each other to open our hearts and trust our own voices as we progress in this practice of writing.
How about you? Are you ever assailed with self doubt about your writing ability, or about the reasons for writing at all? Do you “follow yourself around nagging and suggesting and complaining”? What are some of the negative things your Editor tells you? What could your Editor say to be more encouraging? How do you encourage yourself to keep practicing the craft of writing?
deirdre
Jul 02, 2008 @ 04:32:13
My inner editor tells me terrible things – I won’t even list them here because I don’t want to give that voice an outlet. The more committed I am to writing, especially when I’m working on a larger project, the more persistent and mean it gets.
I love these prompts you’re doing, Becca. I’m not being a good participater right now, but am enjoying thinking about them. 🙂
Becca
Jul 02, 2008 @ 11:13:45
Here’s my response:
mizb17
Jul 02, 2008 @ 12:52:10
My first W.O.W. response can be found here:
http://bookish08.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/wow-silencing-the-inner-critic/
Thanks, Becca! Very good topic this week!
gautami tripathy
Jul 02, 2008 @ 12:52:26
I missed it last time due to computer snag. Feels good to be back.
http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-does-your-editor-tell-you.html
Bobbi's Book Nook
Jul 02, 2008 @ 13:39:55
I’m always full of self-doubt, but I keep writing anyway. Hi – I’m new to your site, but I love what I see. I’ll be checking back in!
Andi
Jul 02, 2008 @ 14:05:11
Thanks for this Rebecca.
http://www.andilit.com/?p=205
Jeanie
Jul 02, 2008 @ 14:15:07
This is an interesting one, Becca! I’ve often said I don’t have to worry about other people putting me down when I put myself down so very well!
I’ll try to get my answer up by this evening (Wednesday) or tomorrow morning! You’ll find it at http://www.themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com
Seachanges
Jul 02, 2008 @ 14:26:45
Becca – I’m working on my answer: you hit the nail on the head so well and this is a marvellous prompt. Yes, I’m back in the real world and full, absolutely full of self-doubt and even wonder, dare I admit it openly, what all that writing frenzy was about last week. As you say, who will ever read it? My editor is very very off putting at times… I’ll be back later with my contribution.
Misty & Co.
Jul 02, 2008 @ 16:04:34
Becca,
Thanks for creating a wonderful weekly challenge. Very Thought Provoking. http://mudpiememories.blogspot.com/
qugrainne
Jul 02, 2008 @ 16:25:45
Okay, Becca. I have jumped into the Write On Wednesday challenge. Thanks for getting this going, and keeping it up!
http://qugrainne.com/2008/07/02/write-on-wednesday/
anno
Jul 02, 2008 @ 17:18:28
“What am I doing?” you ask.
Starting something wonderful, seems to me.
This one got me thinking. An editor isn’t always a bad thing. Can save you from humiliating disaster, in fact. There are, as in any profession, Good Editors and Bad Editors; and there are good times and bad times to listen to them. More later.
But first, I have to run some errands, visit a friend, and then write a post about pesto.
Paris Parfait
Jul 02, 2008 @ 17:30:10
Here’s mine:
http://parisparfait.typepad.com/paris_parfait/2008/07/silencing-the-d.html
Bear in mind that I’ve had years of practice in trying to banish doubts, as writing is how I’ve always made a living. The hard part is now, writing a novel – that’s when the doubts are at their loudest and most annoying!
seachanges
Jul 02, 2008 @ 19:46:32
Well, mine’s up – I’m going to read some more of the others.
Mine’s at: http://51stories.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/write-on-wednesday-a-writer-who-me/
oh
Jul 02, 2008 @ 22:44:59
Becca,
I’ve posted (and now, typically, think I should have edited my post…!) Thanks for prompting people to “talk” though I believe I’ve babbled. Here ya’ go http://westcobich.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/write-on-wednesday/
Tammy
Jul 03, 2008 @ 01:10:07
I’ll be reading all of your words of wisdom on Thursday. My editor just got home. 😉
http://mylifeasawarrior.blogspot.com/2008/07/write-on-wednesday.html
Gemma
Jul 03, 2008 @ 03:50:04
This is really laying bare so many new fears I have developed lately with my writing. And I can only blame my digital camera.
A Writer?
Redness
Jul 03, 2008 @ 13:06:18
My ed and I are back … thank you Bec 😉
http://over-it.blogspot.com/2008/07/write-on-wednesday.html
anno
Jul 04, 2008 @ 20:09:05
I’m up! Finally! (Let’s just say, I work for a demanding editor…)
http://annos-place.blogspot.com/2008/07/about-me-and-my-editors.html
Susan
Jul 07, 2008 @ 13:03:21
You said “Who am I to ask people – especially people as talented and creative as all of you are – to talk about their writing?”
Uh, DUH, Becca…if your writing wasn’t so gosh-darn inspiring then you wouldn’t elicit such “phenomenal responses.” You’re both a writer AND a Muse…how ’bout that 🙂
(Will respond to the prompt later…still attacking boxes and piles all over the rest of the house)
yertle
Jul 07, 2008 @ 21:14:24
I so relate to this. My main excuse is always “Who am I to ….” Whenever I start to have lots of ideas and want to write, I create so much busyness in my life to try to make it impossible.
I get that I want to write for me, so in essence it shouldn’t matter who I am or what anyone else thinks, but my editor still insists that I need validation from the outside — that someone other than me has to care about what I think.
Jeanie
Jul 08, 2008 @ 23:14:25
Hi, Becca,
I’m off for a few days and may not be able to write on Wednesday (or Thursday or whatever) this week. I kept looking for the post and message and realized that today is Tuesday, so of course it isn’t there! My calendar is totally off — between surgery stuff, the holiday and ‘vacation’ I don’t know which end is up, the day and I’m fuzzy on how old I am! Anyway, I will try to write it, but it may not be on Wednesday!
Take care and have a good week. I’ve been reading and not commenting because I’ve been so pressed for time, but really loved your July 6 Becca’s Byline post.