Four Steps to Writing Courage
"A writer's fear is nothing to be afraid of."
-- Ralph Keyes
"While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior."
-- Henry C. Link
 Are you anxious about writing?
Writing is scary. This fact is rarely acknowledged.
Each academic thinks, therefore, that they're
alone in feeling fear and anxiety as they sit
down to write. This leads them to be ashamed
of their anxiety about putting words on paper.
Some people are so anxious that they don't even
let themselves think about writing. They
go for days without even looking at their
dissertation or manuscript, convincing themselves they
don't
have time. Actually, they're just too scared.
In his book The Courage to Write, Ralph Keyes
shares quotes from the most accomplished
writers, about their fears of writing.
E .B. White wrote, for example, "I admire anyone
who has the guts to write anything at all." And
Wendell Berry noted, "I am discomforted by the
knowledge that I don't know how to write the
books that I have not yet written."
 Among
the most frequently "confessed" fears I
hear from graduate students, postdocs and faculty alike
are:
- My writing...
- Is completely off-base
- Has no substance
- Is trite or foolish
- Is of no interest to anyone
- Isn't scientifically valid
- I'm not capable of doing what I said I would.
- People will read my writing and think less of
me.
What kind of fears do you have? Do these fears
keep you from writing?
How to Write Despite Your Fears
- Don't put your writing off. Try as
you might, you won't eliminate the fear. Keyes
suggests using the fear to sharpen your
work, keep you alert, and give yourself
the energy and motivation to write.
- Remove the pressure and expectation that the first
draft will look "beautiful." Allow
yourself to make a mess. Once you have
your thoughts laid out where you can see them,
you can go back and assess what you want
to keep, what you need to polish, and
what needs to go in the trash.
- As you revise your work, think of your reader as
someone who is supportive and encouraging.
 Discuss
your work with colleagues in its early
phases and/or share relatively early
drafts of your work. Don't
forget that early drafts can be shared
with non-academics, who can spot organizational
problems and lack of clarity. The longer
and tighter you hold on to your writing,
the more you have at stake and the more
disastrous it feels if someone suggests
substantial revisions.
So if you are fearful while writing, rest assured
that this is something all writers experience. Accept
it as normal – have courage - and keep writing!
Warmly,
Jayne
I
hope this article gets you thinking about how writing fears may
hamper your progress. Interacting with others about the process of
writing is an important way to normalize your fears. I'll be able to
tell you soon about some exciting developments
in the Academic Writing Club that
will make it even easier and more fun to do just that!
Sincerely,
Gina
|
