Comments on: Battling Yourself: The Fear of Writing http://susanpogorzelski.com/home/battling-yourself-the-fear-of-writing Sat, 24 Apr 2010 15:12:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Susan Pogorzelski - admin http://susanpogorzelski.com/home/battling-yourself-the-fear-of-writing/comment-page-1#comment-65 Susan Pogorzelski - admin Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:23:13 +0000 http://susanpogorzelski.com/?p=394#comment-65 Mathieu: Those words mean a lot coming from you ;) It's funny, I never really thought of writing as courageous, but maybe with something so personal, it really does take courage to admit to it, still push that "publish" button. Thanks for all of your support, Mathieu; I appreciate your own words! Salik: Thanks. My gratitude towards your comment goes far beyond that one word... Mathieu: Those words mean a lot coming from you ;) It’s funny, I never really thought of writing as courageous, but maybe with something so personal, it really does take courage to admit to it, still push that “publish” button. Thanks for all of your support, Mathieu; I appreciate your own words!

Salik: Thanks. My gratitude towards your comment goes far beyond that one word…

]]> By: Salik Shah http://susanpogorzelski.com/home/battling-yourself-the-fear-of-writing/comment-page-1#comment-57 Salik Shah Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:38:18 +0000 http://susanpogorzelski.com/?p=394#comment-57 You're a writer. Period. You’re a writer.
Period.

]]> By: Mathieu http://susanpogorzelski.com/home/battling-yourself-the-fear-of-writing/comment-page-1#comment-56 Mathieu Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:34:17 +0000 http://susanpogorzelski.com/?p=394#comment-56 That's a great post. I really do appreciate your honesty and I think you should be very proud of that at the very least. Most people would not have the guts or foolishness of putting it down on paper. That’s a great post. I really do appreciate your honesty and I think you should be very proud of that at the very least. Most people would not have the guts or foolishness of putting it down on paper.

]]> By: Susan Pogorzelski - admin http://susanpogorzelski.com/home/battling-yourself-the-fear-of-writing/comment-page-1#comment-54 Susan Pogorzelski - admin Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:20:27 +0000 http://susanpogorzelski.com/?p=394#comment-54 Angela: Thanks, I appreciate the support! ;) Angela: Thanks, I appreciate the support! ;)

]]> By: Angela http://susanpogorzelski.com/home/battling-yourself-the-fear-of-writing/comment-page-1#comment-53 Angela Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:02:29 +0000 http://susanpogorzelski.com/?p=394#comment-53 Girl, I am so with you! I feel like I should have more to say than that, but I really don't. Loved the post - Feel it with you. :) Girl, I am so with you! I feel like I should have more to say than that, but I really don’t. Loved the post – Feel it with you. :)

]]> By: Susan Pogorzelski - admin http://susanpogorzelski.com/home/battling-yourself-the-fear-of-writing/comment-page-1#comment-51 Susan Pogorzelski - admin Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:20:16 +0000 http://susanpogorzelski.com/?p=394#comment-51 Crystal: I love that quote! These tend to be very real fears and insecurities that I know many (if not the majority of) writers face, but what's important is learning to write from the heart, because when writing is a passion, that's all that matters. Thanks so much for sharing this! Anna: I agree with the notion that writers are introspective -- I think one has to be in order to tap into that mindset of emotion and human sympathy/understanding (writers like Zora Neale Hurston and Carson McCullers automatically come to mind). I think the fact that you bring up age is an interesting factor and your reasoning behind it seems accurate. For a long time, I didn't call myself a writer because I wasn't published and I was just starting out. But being a writer, I think, is something deeper than that, and I think you're right on -- it's about fulfilling a passion; it's about a need, an urge, to write. And there will be rejection and criticism and it might be quelled, but I don't think the love for it every truly dissipates. I'm looking forward to exploring these ideas in a follow-up post and appreciate, as always, your input! Benjamin: It's funny you say that, as there's a Bill Cosby quote that says "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." I'm not sure why that has always stuck with me, possibly because I didn't expected something so profound, but I've found this to be true, especially with writing. These insecurities come in cycles and, like I said with Crystal, I think that every artist has those feelings of self-doubt at one point or another. I think that comes with the trade, which can be so personal. I think the key is to learn how to push through that, and learning to follow your heart and write for yourself first might be vital to the process. Thanks for mentioning the 6 Golden Rules; I'd never heard of that before, and I would love to use it in a follow-up post. Thanks again! Crystal: I love that quote! These tend to be very real fears and insecurities that I know many (if not the majority of) writers face, but what’s important is learning to write from the heart, because when writing is a passion, that’s all that matters. Thanks so much for sharing this!

Anna: I agree with the notion that writers are introspective — I think one has to be in order to tap into that mindset of emotion and human sympathy/understanding (writers like Zora Neale Hurston and Carson McCullers automatically come to mind). I think the fact that you bring up age is an interesting factor and your reasoning behind it seems accurate. For a long time, I didn’t call myself a writer because I wasn’t published and I was just starting out. But being a writer, I think, is something deeper than that, and I think you’re right on — it’s about fulfilling a passion; it’s about a need, an urge, to write. And there will be rejection and criticism and it might be quelled, but I don’t think the love for it every truly dissipates. I’m looking forward to exploring these ideas in a follow-up post and appreciate, as always, your input!

Benjamin: It’s funny you say that, as there’s a Bill Cosby quote that says “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” I’m not sure why that has always stuck with me, possibly because I didn’t expected something so profound, but I’ve found this to be true, especially with writing. These insecurities come in cycles and, like I said with Crystal, I think that every artist has those feelings of self-doubt at one point or another. I think that comes with the trade, which can be so personal. I think the key is to learn how to push through that, and learning to follow your heart and write for yourself first might be vital to the process. Thanks for mentioning the 6 Golden Rules; I’d never heard of that before, and I would love to use it in a follow-up post. Thanks again!

]]> By: Benjamin http://susanpogorzelski.com/home/battling-yourself-the-fear-of-writing/comment-page-1#comment-50 Benjamin Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:12:33 +0000 http://susanpogorzelski.com/?p=394#comment-50 1. What you are describing sounds like performance anxiety, something that can plague anyone, but can be especially prevalent in anyone who works before or with an “audience” — teachers and musicians, artists, actors, performers and writers. For someone like you who is already prone to free-form anxiety disorders, the performance aspect can be especially troublesome. Beta blockers can help quell some of the more bothersome physical symptoms and can help to break some of the circular thinking that makes the problem worse. As a musician, I have found that the 6 Golden Rules of David Leisner, an esteemed musician and composer, are helpful, not just within the context of music making, but also in any creative endeavor where performance anxiety (no matter what it is called: stage fright or writer’s block) can impede one’s progress. I humbly offer this to you and gently suggest that you consider allowing yourself to be in the experience of writing (see rule number 4) rather than in the audience … David’s rules mention music and playing - you can substitute any endeavor for those, I’ve found. THE 6 GOLDEN RULES 1. You have practiced to the best of your ability. Trust your automatic pilot to do most of your work for you. 2. Do not judge what just happened or will happen. Only motivate and observe. 3. Do not second-guess anyone’s reaction to your work, as your perception will probably be inaccurate. Please yourself only. 4. Be in the music, in the moment. Be on stage, not in the audience. Be in the giving mode, not the receiving one. 5. Single out one aspect of your playing that is the top priority among things you need to be reminded of at this time. 6. Enjoy! Let your emotions for the music be present. Let your excitement for the music be present. 1.

What you are describing sounds like performance anxiety, something that can plague anyone, but can be especially prevalent in anyone who works before or with an “audience” — teachers and musicians, artists, actors, performers and writers. For someone like you who is already prone to free-form anxiety disorders, the performance aspect can be especially troublesome. Beta blockers can help quell some of the more bothersome physical symptoms and can help to break some of the circular thinking that makes the problem worse.

As a musician, I have found that the 6 Golden Rules of David Leisner, an esteemed musician and composer, are helpful, not just within the context of music making, but also in any creative endeavor where performance anxiety (no matter what it is called: stage fright or writer’s block) can impede one’s progress.

I humbly offer this to you and gently suggest that you consider allowing yourself to be in the experience of writing (see rule number 4) rather than in the audience …

David’s rules mention music and playing – you can substitute any endeavor for those, I’ve found.

THE 6 GOLDEN RULES

1. You have practiced to the best of your ability. Trust your automatic pilot to do most of your work for you.

2. Do not judge what just happened or will happen. Only motivate and observe.

3. Do not second-guess anyone’s reaction to your work, as
your perception will probably be inaccurate. Please yourself only.

4. Be in the music, in the moment. Be on stage, not in the audience. Be in the giving mode, not the receiving one.

5. Single out one aspect of your playing that is the top priority among things you need to be reminded of at this time.

6. Enjoy! Let your emotions for the music be present. Let your excitement for the music be present.

]]> By: Anna http://susanpogorzelski.com/home/battling-yourself-the-fear-of-writing/comment-page-1#comment-49 Anna Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:55:27 +0000 http://susanpogorzelski.com/?p=394#comment-49 I think it takes an incredible amount of confidence to call oneself a writer. It's a profession that's inundated with rejection and criticism. What's worse is that writers (I would imagine--but have no data to back this up) are generally introspective in nature. Writers are not the outgoing sort in the same way as entertainers, who also suffer a huge amount of rejection and criticism (two words: American Idol). It's easy and not uncommon to feel like a fraud. You're young. You feel like you can't compete with the big guys. You feel like you can't call yourself a writer unless Random House (ha--pun not entirely intended) says so. To me, being a writer means loving and practicing the craft. It's hard at times to get beyond my own self-doubt and push through my tendency to overthink and self-edit. I'm looking into new methods of writing to help with that. I think it takes an incredible amount of confidence to call oneself a writer. It’s a profession that’s inundated with rejection and criticism. What’s worse is that writers (I would imagine–but have no data to back this up) are generally introspective in nature. Writers are not the outgoing sort in the same way as entertainers, who also suffer a huge amount of rejection and criticism (two words: American Idol).
It’s easy and not uncommon to feel like a fraud. You’re young. You feel like you can’t compete with the big guys. You feel like you can’t call yourself a writer unless Random House (ha–pun not entirely intended) says so.
To me, being a writer means loving and practicing the craft. It’s hard at times to get beyond my own self-doubt and push through my tendency to overthink and self-edit. I’m looking into new methods of writing to help with that.

]]> By: Crystal Koo http://susanpogorzelski.com/home/battling-yourself-the-fear-of-writing/comment-page-1#comment-48 Crystal Koo Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:35:06 +0000 http://susanpogorzelski.com/?p=394#comment-48 The novelist Peter Carey said, "The whole business of writing is to live with doubt: to do what you don't know how to do, to place yourself continually in a situation of ignorance and inelegance." Even the best in the business get it, so hang in there. :) The novelist Peter Carey said, “The whole business of writing is to live with doubt: to do what you don’t know how to do, to place yourself continually in a situation of ignorance and inelegance.”

Even the best in the business get it, so hang in there. :)

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