Masking up again in Sydney!
In our Draftbusters workshop the other day we were discussing one of the difficult aspects of the writer’s process — how to keep going in the face of negative self talk. I mentioned that I have a fantasy of of one day living without writing, like the young Turkish writer I met in Istanbul who told me she would publish eight books then live life as a non writer.
Ah yes, someone replied — I would too, but the writing just won’t let me be. As much as I love/hate it, I have to do it. If I try to escape, it tracks me down and hounds me until I do it.
This conversation led me to consider the idea of choice. Did you choose to become a writer? Or did writing find you? In my case it was accidental. As a kid I liked writing poems, as a young adult working as an actor, I started writing songs. When the committee at the Pram Factory Theatre in Melbourne asked me to apply to be writer in residence, I got the gig and wrote a hit musical. Now I had the ‘cred’ I could apply for other grants and accept commissions. At the age of 29 I was a writer.
You could say that writing chose me, but maybe I chose it? After all I was the one who picked up the pen, who loved the sound and rhythm of words on the page.
I wonder if we can apply this principle to our writing days as well. We know that no matter how hard we try, some days will be bad, some will be good. What if you could choose to have a good writing day. Established writers have techniques to make sure no day is wasted.Like showing up at the desk at 9 am, rain hail or shine! (Read more here).
When I am falling prey to negative self talk — no one will want to read this shit, who do you think you are, a writer? I try to remember to program myself the night before. In that lovely hypnotic state just before sleep I intone— tomorrow the writing will flow, you will have a great writing day, all the negative thoughts about your writing will waft away on the wind. You will come up with great solutions to all your writing problems and have breakthroughs aplenty!
You don’t have to restrict it to writing, you can do it for any area of your life. Sometimes I have to apply the hypnotic antidote technique to my life in general, especially when a build up occurs. It may start with my beating myself up for not keeping my writing goals, then spiral out of control as I apply the negative self talk to other areas of my life as well. Making a pact to zap random negative thoughts with their positive opposite is really helpful and has an immediate empowering affect. It puts me back in control not just of my writing, but how I choose go through my day. Phew!
Need a little help? Don’t forget you can always get in touch to organise a Desperate Debrief.
Or join our online workshops: Draft Busters Online meets on Zoom twice weekly and includes:
Motivation Mondays, 11am -12.30 pmAEST ( 1.5 hrs)
Check in with the group, set goals and timetables for the week, discuss any questions or issues coming up for you in your writing process, plus a meditative writing exercise on areas of writing craft: setting, voice, characters, dramatic action, resolution, impact.
Feedback Fridays, 3pm – 5.30 pm AEST (2.5 hours )
Read an excerpt from your week’s writing, receive feedback from the group, discuss any issues arising.
Sessions are conducted on Zoom.
When: ongoing, contact Jan for dates and workshop times.
Cost: $320AUD for eight workshops. BOOK HERE
Featured image: Lorraine McLoughlin writing in Bhutan. Find her wonderful art books including the recently released Elaine Haxton A Colourful Artist and Life, here.
Above photo, our writer’s group on one of our early Morocco retreats in Fez.