Write It Anyway!
THE INNER CRITIC
A friend who has suffered substantial hearing loss tells me that she often finds that, while she can hear everyone talking with the help of a hearing aid, she is sometimes unable to understand what others are saying. She can no longer pick up some of the higher frequencies. Consonant sounds occur in the high frequency range, so my friend may pick up only vowel sounds. She hears the “e” in “help,” but without the consonant sounds, meaning is lost. Her description perfectly describes what is happening to me as I try to rewrite a section of The Long Way Home. I can hear my characters talking, but I’m missing some of the frequencies and their messages make no sense to me. I’m suffering from a form of writer’s block.
Some people don’t believe in writer’s block. I’ve read the direct statement that writer’s block is the excuse of a lazy writer. My response to this statement is that I’ve spent a large chunk of yesterday butt in chair trying to write. The result of ten hours work is 575 words on TLWH and twelve pieces of blogs that refuse to jell. I’m frustrated and irritated; I’m weepy and weary.
It seems worse because I was blindsided by this malady. I’ve been writing from one to four thousand words most days. But something I read Tuesday gave new life to my demonic Inner Critic whose brutal estimates of my work are coming through loud and clear. Even reading, my usual refuge, from this enemy isn’t working. IC just reminds me how foolish I am to think I belong in the company of the author whose book I’m reading.
I’ve tried drowning her out by reading advice from accomplished writers.
“People have writer’s block not because they can’t write, but because they despair of writing eloquently.”–Anna Quindlen
“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.”–Margaret Atwood
“Don’t get it right, just get it written.”–James Thurber
“Lower your standards and keep writing.”–William Stafford
I particularly like that last one. I know that I’m never going to satisfy the expectations of my Inner Critic. But so far the truths I know in my head have not made their way to my fingers. My last ditch effort to win the battle is listening over and over again to a favorite song, Martina McBride’s “Do It Anyway.”
You can spend your whole life buildin’
Something from nothin’,
One storm can come and blow it all away.
Build it anyway.You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach,
And you know it might not ever come your way.
Dream it anyway.God is great, but sometimes life ain’t good,
And when I pray
It doesn’t always turn out like I think it should.
But I do it anyway.
I do it anyway.This world’s gone crazy,
And it’s hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today.
Believe it anyway.You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons,
And in a moment they can choose to walk away.
Love ’em anyway.You can pour your soul out singin’
A song you believe in
That tomorrow they’ll forget you ever sang.
Sing it anyway.I sing.
I dream.
I love anyway.
I’ve even added my own verse.
You can wound your heart in writing
the words that just won’t come
That voice keeps on shouting, “You’ll never get it done.”
Write it anyway.
So hear I am with another day—believing, dreaming, writing. Even with the Inner Critic insisting that it’s garbage, I’m writing it anyway.
And I’m allowing Richard Lederer to remind me “To be a writer, one must behave as writers behave. They write. And write. And write. The difference between a writer and a wannabe is that a writer is someone who can’t not write, while a wannabe says, ‘One of these days when . . ., then I’ll . . . .’”
Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? Any cures you’d care to share?
Okay, what is this nasty thing that you (and your IC) read? Is this the Quiet Book thing again? Can you do some sort of ritual where you print off this “article” or whatever, then burn it up? Actually tear it into small pieces or run it through the shredder (does anyone else get a grin at hearing the motor grind when it shreds something particularly nasty?) and then setting it on fire…
I’m not a writer but whenever I have to write an essay for my prof’s I normally have to get a friend to help inspire me.
Thanks for this honest post. We all have doubts. I want everything to be pretty perfect in the first draft, so can’t ‘vomit it out’ as recommended. And when I feel I ‘can’t’ write, I get super-antsy. I’m never totally blocked—even when I don’t feel fresh words bubbling to the surface, I go back and tweak something. Writing under deadlines adds an extra dollop of insanity. I lie awake wondering if I’ll get everything finished—but next time, I should just get up and write in the dark!
And whatever you read that’s made you insane, drown it and keep going!
Sometimes I feel as if I spend most of my life in some sort of “block” or another. I think I may be your sister in procrastination, Janga. I can procrastinate a week away in a blink of an eye. Nothing I “have to” do or accomplish has ever come easy to me. My frustration with what I perceived to be a huge flaw in my make-up led me to the intense study of personlity types and exactly why certain people act certain ways and others act opposite. Among other interesting tidbits, what I found out is that a huge part of my procrastination stems from not wanting to do something unless I can do it “the right way”, whatever I perceive the right way is at the time. It can apply to anything – mothering, cooking, cleaning, organizing… writing.
I’m not sure I’m the best to offer advice on the subject, but I do know that you’re not going to get anywhere listening to the negatives. Get some distance between you and “How to write” books, blogs, articles, etc. You know how to write and you are damn good at it!
Don’t ever, ever look for constructive well-meaning advice/help from yourself (I/C). All you get is a slap in the face. A counselor once told me that the worse person to talk things over with was yourself ,cause you always give flawed advice. Shut that inner voice up! Or better yet get someone more sane and knowledgeable (friends, relatives, loved ones, critique partners) to drown it out.
I’ve also learned over the years to give myself a break. Do what you can when you can and let that be enough. Finally, don’t obsess – walk away and feed your mind, your heart and your soul with something besides writing. That last one is the hardest for me. I tend to be like a dog with a bone – I want to keep at it until it’s how I think it should be.
BTW, my daughter came to me over a year ago asking if she could play this really awesome song for me – she got on YouTube and pulled up Martina McBride’s “Do It Anyway”. That was our theme song for the longest time
It still brings tears to my eyes and the fact that my 13 y/o daughter brought it to my attention just makes my heart smile!
Hellion, it is that “quiet book” thing again. Shredding might help, but what I most need is a brain eraser that I can use very selectively. The post just struck me at a vulnerable point. Shortly, I’ll be more rational about it.
Dani, i think even experienced writers count on their friends for inspiration and advice. I know I do.
Maggie, I am in awe of all you accomplish. I’d nix writing in the dark though. You have to sleep sometimes.
Irish, how lovely that you and your daughter shared such a moment. Martina McBride has so many songs that move me to tears–”Do It Anyway,” “God’s Will,” “Blessed,” “In My Daughter’s Eyes”–just to name a few. I’m a fan.
I think you and I are spiritual sisters. I know you are right about the perfectionism-procrastination connection. The same problem lies behind my reluctance to let go and send the progeny of my mind out into the world. I’m working on the problem.
Hi Janga, just popped in to say I’m so sorry to hear about the blockage and best of luck with getting to a place where the words are flowing again.
My suggested cures–try experiencing art in different forms, like unusual music, theatre, painting, whatever you enjoy that’s not reading. Read craft books or listen to RWA workshops–a lot of the time the points people bring up about craft will stimulate my brain to think about how that applies to my own story and make me eager to get to work. And the one I do when I need to pull out the big guns–stop reading. If I’m starved of good reading for long enough (like a few days), it becomes absolutely imperative to make something up myself before I go mad.
I hope something works for you. It’s not fun when you get stuck. Above all, be kind to yourself
Christine
I was here this morning and got sidetracked. Dang it. Now I’m a blog behind.
Janga – You know I’m here whenever you need anything, right? As are all the people above. Just wanted to remind you of that.
I haven’t experienced this level of block, but I have been stuck. What always seems to work is talking about the work with someone. Be it someone who knows the work or doesn’t. I have this problem with invisible blinders. Seeing outside of the box, thinking of things that aren’t right in front of me, is not something at which I excel. So, input from another source, another perspective almost always loosens something and creates one of those light bulb moments.
We have to let the “quiet books” thing go. I have no explosions, no guns, no police, FBI, CIA, Navy Seals. I have no billionairres, no secret babies, no shieks, and no “seduction” in my title. No balls, no carriages and NO DUKES. Still, my story is good and it has merit and I’m proud of it. And it WILL find a home. Just like yours will. I know it. I believe it. We have to keep the faith, hon. I know you can do it.