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Courage to write
My secret self needs liberation
The fear of self-revelation is, perhaps, the biggest impediment to writing. What we are, what we feel, what we fear are topics we would rather not approach. In fact, we prefer to veer off the subject entirely in order to avoid even cursory mention of those revelatory issues. Very often we don't want to tackle a particular issue and are unable to give ourselves clear reasons for doing so. However, if we sincerely sought the answer to the mental block, not only would we liberate ourselves but also our writing.
All writing impulses come from a common source that is fed by our entire being--all of us--our experiences, our perceptions, our associations, our responses-various channels nurturing the wellspring. Now imagine if one these channels were blocked. Your writing would necessarily lack one very important ingredient. In order to write holistically, it is necessary to liberate your secret self. You will never again shy away from writing about yourself or anything else.
Try this exercise
Stand before the mirror and look at yourself. What do you see?
Your reflection? Now look again, and, this time, address yourself. Ask yourself a question?
"Why are you afraid to write about this?" A warning: the answer may not come immediately.
Ask the question again, and keep asking until the answer comes directly from your secret self.
Once you've said the words aloud, the writing of them is just a transmission.
Honesty: the number one rule
Is this what you really think, or are you just voicing these ideas to impress your peers, your instructors. Dishonesty in writing stands out like sore thumb. Ideas that are not your own will not have the convictions all cogent writing needs to have.
Trust in your own style
Imitation, they say is the highest form of flattery. That may be true, but why flatter someone else and not yourself. Go ahead. Flatter yourself. Imitate yourself over and over again. However, for that you need to develop your own style. No one can write like you, because your writing comes not just from your schooling, but also from your background, your upbringing, and your value system. It involves you. Undoubtedly, vocabulary and skill and craft are important in fine tuning your style, but use the idiom that comes most naturally to you, use a turn of phrase
that is your manner of expression. Remember, flowery sentences and many-syllabled words tend to weigh down writing. If you can say something simply and clearly, why disguise it in veils, lace trimmed though they might. However, no matter how you choose to express yourself, remember your style is your own. Trust in it.
Narcissism, the creed of a writer
Love yourself. Love your writing. Every time the doubter in you asks, "What if no one likes what I've written." Counter that questions with one of your own: "Do I like what I've written?" If the answer is, "yes" forget about the critics. You've accomplished what you had set out to do. However, if the answer to your question is "no", explore the reasons. Perhaps, you have not been completely honest in your writing. Perhaps you attempted a style that does not come naturally to you. Perhaps, your writing is missing an important link to the source--you. Go back and change your writing to be a true mirror of you. Sure, they will be some who might never like your writing, but there will also be others who will see the truth reflected in your writing and applaud your courage to write.
The Blank Page
Last revised: March 30, 2002
© 2002 Meena A. Nayak