Who would want to read what I write? Does that question fill you with curiosity and anticipation? Or with self-doubt and despair? Is this a stopper question for you or a starter? It really can go either way, although it can be difficult to imagine feeling the opposite of your original reaction. This kind of … More Writing Stoppers or Starters? Transform Your Inner Critic to Your Inner Coach
Why on earth would we thank our Saboteur, that self-destructive impulse that interferes with our writing? All of the five forms of the Saboteur want to freeze your creativity. The Attacker undermines your confidence; the Enticer tempts you to sacrifice the habits that sustain your writing; the Innocent is anything but; the Protector doesn’t protect … More What You Can Thank Your Saboteur For
When I refer to the Saboteur in these posts, I do so with the hope that you’re familiar with the term from one of my classes or reading Around the Writer’s Block: Using Brain Science to Solve Writer’s Resistance. But if you aren’t or if it’s been awhile since you were in class or read … More Don’t Let the Saboteur Push You Into Writer’s Block
When I refer to the Saboteur in these posts, I do so with the hope that you’re familiar with the term from one of my classes or reading Around the Writer’s Block: Using Brain Science to Solve Writer’s Resistance. But if you aren’t or if it’s been awhile since you were in class or read … More Does Your Saboteur Push You into Writer’s Block?
In my last post, I observed that being at a writer’s conference “…in the presence of other people who are passionate about writing and committed to their craft is exciting, energizing, inspiring and thought-provoking. It is also fraught with opportunities for your Saboteur to crash the party.” (For the most complete info about the Saboteur, … More After the Writer’s Conference #AWP2015: The Beast Beneath the Good Stuff
Over 11,000 writers attended AWP 2015 here in Minneapolis. Other writers conferences might bring together less than a hundred. Whether the conference is huge, medium or micro, being in the presence of other people who are passionate about writing and committed to their craft is exciting, energizing, inspiring and thought-provoking. It is also fraught with … More After the Writers Conference #AWP2015
One of the reasons I appreciate working with John Drozdal is his sense of humor, especially when we talk about the Saboteur (see chapter 8 in AWB). Like all of us, John got shoved around by his Saboteur for a long time without knowing what was happening. But once he found out what was going … More Out-trashing the Saboteur: Guest Post by John George Drozdal
One of the ways the Saboteur stops us is to use rhetorical questions as barriers. Questions like: Who do you think you are? Who do I think I am to write _______? Why on earth would anyone want to read what I write? What makes me even think I can write _______? How could I … More Break the Saboteur’s Hold on Your Writing
Sometimes we get so caught up in the desire for response to our writing, we forget to screen the sources of that feedback. But all readers are not equal. Find Readers Who Are Right for Your Writing When asking for feedback, choose people whose opinions you respect and who have the experience, interest and emotional … More Do You Know Who NOT to Ask for Feedback?
To revise your writing, of course you must evaluate it. But evaluating is not the same as judging. Judging engages your mental filters and you stop seeing what’s really there. Once you assume something is good, you start seeing all the good things about it. Even neutral aspects will seem positive and negative aspects will … More Discerning Writer’s Guide to Revision
Bane of Your Resistance 