[6 min read] Overcome writer’s block and combat the demoralizing influence of Specter by reframing your internal dialogue, advocating for the gift of creative time without the constraints of “grades” or structures.
Unlearn What You Have Learned…
“I have all the ideas…and I’ve started working on outlines and structure. I haven’t written anything quite yet, but I’ve really started to organize my thoughts. I gave myself a B- for structure and a D+ for writing. I’m here to own up to my failure…I deserve an ass-kicking and I know it…and then I can get back on track.”
I asked my client about his educational background. He attended private Catholic school for both elementary and high school before majoring in English at Boston College. Outstanding credentials by any measure, but he had slipped back into old academic habits of structure, grading and ultimately penance for underperformance.
Be Wary of Specter
While searching for our most valuable voice we often encounter its opposite…a force I have named Specter. This fearsome spirit makes every effort to derail your creative efforts with seductive, rational arguments for why you should really be doing something more “productive” with your time. Rattling old pedagogy is one of Specter’s favorite demoralizing tricks because it echoes of authority. In truth, Specter is just that lizard, self-protecting part of your mind that hates risk and change.
Give Yourself the Gift of Creative Time
Reframing your internal dialog, remembering why you’re writing in the first place, is a powerful technique to escape Specter’s icy hand. Here’s how it worked with my client. I reminded him that he was no longer in school, and that writing time is a reward he deserves…a small gift of 30 minutes a day in an otherwise busy week. We described the next few weeks before Christmas as an advent calendar for writing. Every day, to find a cozy spot or café to spend some time putting pen to paper. No grades. No outlines. Just writing what comes to mind and delighting in the opportunity to do so.
And the next week…voila! I received an email with some promising writing to discuss.
Giving yourself the gift of creative time is one of the most powerful ways to escape those chilling moments when Specter begins to freeze your confidence and resolve.
