WRITER'S BLOCK: FEEL THE FEAR

Over time I have met many people who tell me they wish they could write.  When I talk to them about what they want to write, they usually are not clear.  Rather, they have a vague idea.  But, that's not what gets in the way.  What gets in the way is fear.  Fear that they cannot, after all, write anything of value.  Fear that they really have nothing to say.  Or they have nothing to say that hasn't been said before.

I have done numerous coaching sessions with wannabe writers who have decided that it is worth it to them to address their fear.  Other times they feel they cannot live well with themselves if they do not face their fear.

It is a courageous act to step up to the "writing plate" when the fear is so intense that it has gotten in the way for a very long time, frequently years.  I admire those wannabe writers and have been very gratified to be their writing coach and see them ever so slowly put themsleves in front of their computers and let whatever happens happen.

As I've said many times, the key to writing well is to freewrite.  I am not the originator of this idea, but I am a strong supporter of it.  How can it be otherwise when I've seen person after person grow into being the writer they have wanated to be?

Susan Jeffers has said it well in the title of her book,Feel the Fear . . . and Do It Anyway (r).  The entire book is devoted to that topic which applies in all areas of life.  My footnote to that is…. and you will be pleasantly gratified with your writing life.