Fear and Loathing in Your Writing

Hi everyone, Pod here. I wanted to take a moment to talk about an issue that is critical to everyone who wants to write (from the casual writer to the devout, starving poet): Fear. 

Pictured: Padraic putting his money where his mouth is. Also his vodka.

Let me explain. I have been sitting in front of my laptop for the past two hours trying to turn my rough drafts into articles that you lovely people would actually enjoy reading. Despite my best efforts however, I haven’t been able to produce anything useable. The reason for this deadlock is simple: fear. Steven King once said that the cause of all bad writing is fear and I am inclined to agree. As writers if we start to second guess ourselves too much, if we obsess over every word, then we will end up paralyzing ourselves. Writing is an act of creation; it comes from that deep and enigmatic piece of ourselves that feels instead of thinks, that lives instead of fears. Real, honest, pure writing withers under the weight of over editing. Many of you will know what I’m talking about. The feeling when you cannot seem to get more than three words out before erasing everything and starting over. The hesitation. The second guessing. The fear. 

Now I’m not trying to say that you should write purely by whim or that all editing is bad. Editing is a crucial step in good writing and a carefully chosen word in the right place can make all the difference. But beware, when you edit you are playing with dynamite and it has the power to destroy everything you have created.  I know - it happens to me all the time. Whenever I begin listening to that overcritical voice in my head it always ends the same way: writers block. If this should happen to you, if fear does get the better of you and you and you end up stuck, then there are only two cures which I know of: vodka and free writing. These help because they allow you to bypass those inhibiting voices that muffle creativity. They are a lifeline that can help to reconnect us to the raw, wild, real and honest voice that lead to true inspiration. However, as helpful as this approach can be (and as romantic as the idea of the whiskey soaked writer is) it does have a price. Literally. If you get in the habit of turning to alcohol every time you get stuck, you will quickly wind up with an empty wallet and well on your way to full blown alcoholism. So let’s set aside the vodka for a moment and focus on the free writing. 

For those who might not know, free writing is essentially verbal diarrhea. The idea is this: begin writing and do not stop no matter what. Write down anything and everything that comes to mind. Even if it’s complete nonsense. Even if it’s the same word repeated over and over again. Pure, unrestricted stream of consciousness. Often this will allow your creative juices to being flowing again and sometimes it even results in a few lines that are actually useable. Once your free writing is underway it will usually build momentum and won’t require any more effort or thought. It can be difficult to get the process going though. A good way to get the ball rolling is to start with a prompt of some kind. Below I have listed a few writing prompts for you to respond to. Pick one or two and try some free writing of your own. For those of you who are already familiar with the idea of free writing, go ahead and do a couple anyway (it’s never a bad idea to stretch your writing muscles). 

• Anaphora: an anaphora is a type of list poem where each line begins with the same word or phrase. Try one now. Write a list where each item begins with the phrase “I believe.” Remember not to edit yourself or even think about what you’re writing. Just let your mind run wild. Don’t worry if you find yourself straying from the original prompt; the best writing often comes when nothing goes according to plan.
• Roll the dice: find the nearest book (it doesn’t matter if it’s Hamlet or the TV guide. Write down the first word on the first ten pages. Do a free write exercise, making sure to include every word from your list at least once. 
• Reminisce and remix: Begin your free write with the phrase “A year ago today...” Remember not to plan what you are writing. Just let your creativity respond to the phrase. It doesn’t matter if it is silly or sad; it doesn’t even matter if it is true. 
• Vent: Keep it simple. Start a free write with the phrase “I hate it when…” Don’t be afraid to really get into. Get angry. Get into it. Stab your pen through the paper if you are so inclined. Remember that a little violence is alright if it is in the name of art.
• Switch It Up. Sometimes you will have a piece that you really believe in but can’t seem to get anywhere with. At times like this it can help to change your perspective on the subject. Take the very last line from one of your existing stories and/or poems and use it as the beginning for a new piece. Free write from there. It might help uncover a piece of the puzzle you haven’t been able to see because you are too close to the project. Or else it might lead to an entirely new project. 

Once you have finished your free write, if you think you might have something worth keeping then go ahead and edit. Use what technical knowledge you might have to tweak your writing, check for errors, change a word here and there, move things around if they really need it. But do not let these efforts override your original inspiration. 

And now it’s time to stop reading and start writing. You have your prompts; go forth and write. And as always: be brave, be sincere, and have fun!