The Secret to Overcoming Writer's Block
Seven Common Fears About Writing Poetry and How to Fight Them
Jun 20, 2009
The fear of not having anything to say, or saying it badly are among the key hurdles for many poets. But there are tricks to make writing easier and less threatening.
Knowledge is power, and that includes knowing how to overcome fear of the blank page. The important thing is to learn what makes something frightening and how to whittle away at that fear. Here are some common sources of fear and how to overcome them or minimize their power:
- What if I Can't Do it? The worst fear comes the moment someone sits down to write. Even seasoned poets will say that every new poem means starting from scratch. No matter how many poems someone has written in the past, the next one requires the same act of courage and commitment. Knowing everyone is in the same boat may alleviate stress and feelings of isolation. If the fear is free floating about writing in general, this article about fear and creativity might help.
- Who Needs Me When They Could Have Shakespeare?Reading such icons of the past, not to mention great contemporary poets, is enough to make someone give up before they even start. How could anyone be good enough to compete with them? The good news is that no one has to. In fact, what's "good enough" (and in fact is essential for good art), is what comes uniquely from a particular individual. So, all else being equal, the best poets are the ones who are the most themselves.
- Why Can't I Get Even the First Line to Sound Good? Focusing on how the poem will be in its final form can be paralyzing. Writing poetry is a journey, not a destination, so the best way to get started is to take a step, any step. There are many tools one can use to do that, including journaling, recording dreams, free writing, picking five words at random to write about, and a whole slew of exercises that are available for that purpose. Or try letting go in another way, by writing "into the unknown.
- Maybe I'm Not Cut Out to Be a Poet.Some get nervous because they believe that if they were "real" poets, they'd be compelled to write, and that once they felt a poem coming on, all they'd have to do is sit down and write it. The truth is that writing poetry can be as plodding as the most tedious task. What seems like a spontaneous outburst of creative talent may be the result of many, many drafts and blind alleys. In the words of Ellen Bryan Voigt: "It's all a draft until you die." The important thing is to write and keep writing.
- I'm Feeling Really Stuck and Scared. If that happens, a good remedy is to go outside, walk, run, exercise-anything that involves movement. Moving around is liberating in ways that can open the mind's spigot to a fresh flow of ideas, and also has a positive effect on mood. Even just watching TV, being passive, or "sleeping on it" can help, because it gives relief from the task and gives a chance for the mind to do its own work. Support for this idea comes from educational research showing that "distributed" learning is often better than "massed" learning (i.e., cramming for a test the night before).
- Do I Dare Write About This? Sometimes it's not about the writing at all, but about the feelings that emerge or the fear of being overexposed (or exposing others who are in the poem). This one is trickier to handle because sometimes those feelings mean the poet is on to something authentic and powerful. On the other hand, it may mean that it's something the poet is not ready to deal with. The best solution may be to at least get it down on paper, then decide later whether it feels "safe" to pursue.
- I Can't Finish This Poem. Sometimes writers become anxious when they go round and round with a poem because they can't get a handle on it. That may mean that the problem is not the writing, but the thinking. If a poem lacks a "spine"-some inherent narrative or logic-it will never feel right or finished. If fuzzy thinking is the problem, reducing the content to bare, flatfooted sentences may help the poet figure out what's really at stake. Once the poem's heart is found, the rest of it will fall in place.
Writing poetry is extremely rewarding to those who are drawn to it. But even well-established poets struggle at times with the process. Anything that is really worthwhile requires dedication, practice, and sometimes overcoming fears that can get in the way of that process. Fortunately, there are poets who are driven to do whatever it takes to get the raw material of heart and head onto the page. But there's no reason why it has to be any harder than it needs to.
The copyright of the article The Secret to Overcoming Writer's Block in Writing Poetry is owned by Elizabeth Harrington. Permission to republish The Secret to Overcoming Writer's Block in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
 |
 |
 |
