![The Writer's [Inner] Journey](/wp-content/themes/thesis_151/custom/images/header2.png "The Writer's [Inner] Journey")
Feeding the Writer with Kim Hooper: The culture of writing–everything from books to contests to nurturing our inner writer
An article in the last issue of Psychology Today states that procrastination is driven by certain factors, including: expectation of success, need for immediate gratification, and impulsiveness. I can re-word this to say, “I’m screwed when I sit down to write because: I’m not that confident, I crave reward too much (and insta-reward would be nice), and I’m very easily distracted by People.com.”
I like to think I write “just for fun.” That’s what I tell people. The truth is I want to be a published novelist. That’s the gratification I seek. I’m afraid it’ll never happen, so I say with a casual shrug, “Maybe I’ll get published, but I don’t really care.” I avoid disappointment that way, right? Wrong. It’s still there, threatening me when I turn on the computer. No wonder I end up at People.com.
At the risk of sounding too New Age-y, overcoming procrastination (aka writer’s block) can begin with envisioning reaching a goal, whatever it is. This is kind of along the lines of “If you build it, they will come,” the “it” being self-confidence, and the “they” being the words. For me, when I’m stuck, the mantra becomes this: Expect to get published, and you’ll start writing.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree. I think the reason so many writers have a bad reputation of never handing things in on time is that fear of rejection.
New Agy or not, I sit everyday and visualize what I want, write it in my special leather bound journal and I do all of this just before meditation time each day. When I get up, I’m refreshed, energized and ready to tackle that manuscript again.
Welcome, Kim! I’m looking forward to more of your entries–and I love what Kerri added in response. I read this post last night before I went to bed and you know what?…it’s just as meaningful, if not more so, as I wake up in the morning.
So true! I find that confidence comes from writing a blog entry every day. Recently I had a highly respected lit. agent decide she could not sell my book after a dozen attempts. It takes supreme confidence to not give up, especially with the publishing industry on self-destruct. Still, I picked myself up and contacted someone else. But, I understand what you mean about the desire to become a published novelist. I am a writer, unpublished so far, but a writer nonetheless.
I write because I have to. I just don’t feel like myself if I don’t – and I’ve always been that way.
I think many people procrastinate (myself included) for fear of failure. So, “if I don’t finish, then nobody will tell me I suck, am dumb, don’t know what I’m talking about, have to do it all over…” (pick any or all).
And it’s not just the unpublished who feel this way, either, which always surprises me. No matter how many articles, for instance, we writers sell and get published, there will still be that new client to take on. That means we have to start all over with the acceptance crap. Will the editor like my story? Will I need to do a rewrite? Will I have to gather more information? It’s such a mind-game. But I think we all play it. Maybe it’s helpful to know that…Not that we won’t procrastinate any more, but maybe we’ll approach ourselves with more compassion.
This is a great attitude, but I do have an unfortunate caveat: even when you expect publication, you still may not be published. And then you have to come to terms with unmet expectations, and STILL keep your faith!