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Before the Page
The fear of the blank page is not limited to the encounter with the page. For some of us, it precedes it. In fact, the debilitating force that overwhelms our mind as soon as we come face to face with the blank page is generated by anxieties related to the very contemplation of writing. Before we engage with the blank page, then, it is necessary to acknowledge these pre-page anxieties.
Common Fears
How do I get ideas?
Each of us carries knowledge within us--some inherent, some acquired, some waiting to be incorporated with our knowledge bank. However, at the times when we most need this knowledge, it evades us, hiding itself in the recesses of our minds, refusing to be evoked. At times such as these, we need triggers to release this knowledge. Triggers are nothing but our own magic formulas to conjure ideas. Each individual creates or develops his or her own formulas depending on how he or she responds to the world and to a particular writing project. However, some formulas are basic and imperative to all writing and, when used, trigger off ideas. Here are some ways to initiate these triggers.
Sensory perceptions
Risk taking
Free Writing
Reading
I have some ideas, but do I dare share them?
If you haven't suffered this insecurity in your writing, you are one of the very few lucky ones. The rest of us continually wrestle for words that are caught in the stranglehold of this angst. To write is to reveal not only our secret selves but also our ineptitude as intelligent beings. This insecurity, like any other, is strengthened by a number of doubts we have about ourselves. As soon as we think about writing, the censors in our heads are alerted and we find ourselves asking questions such as, "How can I write about this? It is too personal." "What if someone I know reads this? I will be so embarrassed." "I can't write about this; it reveals how scared I am, or how selfish, or how narrow-minded."Instead of censors, some of have mallet wielding judges, passing verdicts: "Your ideas are stupid." "The only kind of words you have in your vocabulary are small two syllable ones. You can't write effectively with those" "Your writing is staid and dull." And the cruelest verdict of all--"What if no one likes your ideas?"
The weapons to overwhelm, if not conquer these paralyzing forces lie within our psyches. Courage and conviction are the two most effective weapons. Convince yourself that you have the courage to write by evoking the power of the following mantras.
My secret self needs liberation
Honesty is the number one rule
My style is my own
Narcissism is creed of a writer
The Blank Page
Last revised: March 30, 2002
© 2002 Meena A. Nayak