OOOOPS!

I completely forgot about being an Insecure Writer!

Well, alright, I didn't forget that I AM an insecure writer. I simply forgot to post to the insecure writers group, and I do hope that any who choose to visit here will give me a thorough chiding...

In the meanwhile, I've been thinking quite alot about my insecurities as a writer (imagine that). I've been working on a writer's workshop for children and attempting to explain to highschoolers how to get past their own insecurities when dealing with criticism. What came out is elegant, and polished, and likely complete BS. At least, I haven't been able to get it to work for me. So how do I deal with this with kids in a way that is honest?

While I was contemplating this, something fantastic happened. I was sitting, staring at my computer screen, listening with half of half of an ear to TED talks on Hulu. Randomly, Elizabeth Gilbert (Author of Eat, Pray, Love) came on, with a discussion on nurturing creativity.

Oh. My. God.

It basically boils down to this: In the early days, "genius" was considered an outside force, a muse, a genii. If genius came in one story and fled another, it was not necessarily the will of the author, but that of the wild force of creativity. We all have bad days (weeks, years...) The point is to keep going, and just keep working. Let's face it; if we don;t work at all, we never (never never ever!) give that genii a chance to visit.

We cannot berate ourselves for the fickleness of our wild-eyed caseworker.

We need to appreciate it when they can make it, and push through when she gets in our way. This is much the same for that critic (oh yes, for she is not only fickle, she is BITCHY!) We need to be able to set aside that which targets our soul. The writing is not necessarily about us, and if that critic tells us that it is, she simply doesn't want to acknowledge her role in the creative process. She needs more coffee.

Or a gag.

Either way, the critic should be there to serve us, not destroy us. Maybe the critic and the genii are just alternate faces of the same wicked beast. She should never be considered our mistress, however. She could be a companion, an acquaintance, a dear dear friend, a "frenemy" (that term makes me gag, but it may be appropriate here).