If you start writing projects but don’t finish or finish projects that you never share, you might be suffering from a “creativity wound.” In a new blog post, Anne R. Allen discusses these psychological blocks and how we can overcome them.
These wounds can arise from an unnecessarily cruel critique or from a series of minor criticisms and discouragements you receive over the years. So how do you get rid of it?
“It helps to dig into your subconscious to remember the exact thing that wounded you,” Allen says. “Yes, it hurts, and it will bring up old, unhealed pain. But the only way to heal that wound is to bring it out in the open.”
Consider the source of the unkind comments. This person may have been having a bad day – or bad life – or maybe simply doesn’t enjoy the kind of stories you write. Criticism from friends and family members are harder to take, but remember that they may not be the best qualified to give feedback.
Harsh criticism is hard to take, but it shouldn’t make you feel untalented. There are many skills involved in being a writer that aren’t obvious on the page: commitment, empathy, continuous learning, solitude, research, and persistence. If you commit to your writing, you are as real a writer as you need be.
