“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” ~ Stephen King
As if we needed reminding …
Fear of writing is a real thing. It has a label and everything. One who fears writing in public (which, in a matter of speaking, includes writing for publication, right?) is known as Scriptophobic.
Literally translated, Scriptophobia means writing fear. (Script is the Latin root for writing, and Phobia, of course, means fear or dread.) Understand that because there’s an actual word for this seemingly bizarre and unreasonable fear of writing, you’re not alone. Others have this condition. This fear. This dread of putting pen to page or fingers to keyboard. And it’s okay to be scared.
A little.
But, it’s NOT okay to let that fear paralyze you. Writing is NOT the same as entering one of those extreme haunted houses, like McKamey Manor. (Today is Halloween, after all.) Unless you have a serious condition, writing isn’t physically painful. And if you do have Rheumatoid Arthritis or a broken appendage or a bad hangnail, you can always use dictation.
Somehow writers have this concept that writing is akin to torture. Forget the fact that many well-known classical writers (okay, and even some modern-day scriveners) have committed suicide. Writing in and of itself will not kill you. Seriously.
But yet, we’re still afraid.
I get it. It scares me to death to face a blank screen, too. That little cursor blinks at me like the flashing lights on an alien spaceship. (It’s doing it now. And it’s still doing it!)
We know writing frightens us. We’re Scriptophobic. Yet, we know we need to write. It’s good for us, like eating asparagus and broccoli. The best way to get past that fear (or bad taste of green vegetables) is to make it more palatable. Make it enjoyable. Make it fun, even. For years, moms have tricked kids into eating their leafy greens by slathering cheese on them. It works. (Unless, of course, the kid is lactose intolerant. But that’s an issue beyond the scope of this blog post.)
So, how do we eliminate the bitter taste of writing? What can we use to cheese-coat that ever-present Scriptophobia?
Here are a few ideas:
- A big part of fear is facing the unknown. Knowing what you’re going to write before you sit down takes a HUGE chunk out of writer’s block. It knocks the phobia out of Scriptophobic. Start by making a plan. You may want to create a detailed outline. If you’re not really a plotter, at least visualize the scene you need to write next. See it play out in your mind like a movie. For each scene, think about who wants what (Goal), why they want it (Motivation), what is preventing them from getting it (Conflict), and what will happen to them if they don’t get it (Stakes). After that scene, the character will react in some way and likely make a decision of what to do, which will lead you to the next scene. Visualize each scene before you sit down to write it.
- Another big part of fear is trying to make it perfect. If you Google the phrase, “Writing is Rewriting,” you’ll find a host of famous authors (some of whom did NOT commit suicide) who have restated this phrase in many ways. But the point is, first drafts are bad. Really bad. And that’s okay. Because once a draft is finished, you can edit it. (Not before.) Give yourself permission to write badly as long as you WRITE. Pinky swear that you won’t edit your NaNoWriMo project until December 1. Come on, do it!
- We’ve already acknowledged that we’re not alone in our Scriptophobic state. But supporting one another can also help alleviate fear. Find a writers’ group–either locally or online. Encourage each other. Hold each other accountable. Challenge each other. Do writing sprints together (virtually or in person). Share word counts. Drink copious amounts of coffee together. But DO NOT critique each other’s writing at this point. If someone insists on reading one’s words to the group, simply smile and nod and do your best not to cringe if it’s horrible. Remember, November is for writing. Editing and critiques come later. You’ll get your chance to tell your fellow author friend how bad their first draft is. Just not yet.
- Lastly, a big part of fear, as stated in our opening quote by Mr. King, is simply getting started. It is easier to start when you know what to write and that it’s okay to not be perfect and that writing won’t literally kill you. (I promise.) Once you get started, you start building momentum. Momentum is a powerful resource for writers. A few years ago, I wrote a short book called Mastering the Power of Momentum. I learned a lot while researching it. One thing that stuck out to me is the power of a streak while building momentum. Writing every day will help you build a streak. Once your brain realizes a streak is in progress, it works to keep that streak going, which continues to build momentum. It’s a cycle, only it’s not vicious.
I’m planning to share daily tips during the month of November to help us get through it. You can make sure you won’t miss any posts by subscribing to this blog. There’s a signup form in the footer. Oh, and it’s free. Hopefully the tips I will share can help writers who are currently Scriptophobic.
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