In this short video Melaina and Michael talk about the difficult experience of feeling stuck in your writing and of facing the blank screen or page.
Points covered include:
- The frustration and anxiety you might get caught up in when trying to redraft a tangle of existing words.
- Dealing with the highs and lows of the emotional impact of this, which can include self-criticism and fear of failure. Understanding that it’s part of the process.
- The benefits of talking to other people about these feelings, and so bringing them out of the darkness and into the light.
- The existence of the inner critic, whose voice can be a very negative and unhelpful one, and the benefits of seeking a dialogue with that voice.
- How thinking about what you would say to encourage a friend who was experiencing negative feelings can help you become a friend to yourself.
- How time can help in this process and the act of faith involved in believing it won’t always be like this.
It’s important to realise that being stuck is a normal aspect of the writing process and this realisation helps you to move through it and understand it not as failing but as struggling. It’s a struggle you can overcome.
Part of mentoring writers, beyond advising on technical aspects of writing, is to be a sounding board for them when they are experiencing these emotional difficulties.
Mentoring involves a lot of encouragement and figuring out what works best for each individual.
“After just a few sessions with Michael, I witnessed a collection of isolated stories coalescing into a novel, like magic. Michael’s mentoring has been key to getting to the finalised draft.”
Katie Gray Craven
