Friday 21 May 2010

Writer's fear

Writer's fear. What is it?
Lately I have had immense difficulty in making myself sit down at my computer to write. I will do anything to avoid it - clean the bathroom, clean the toilet, loads of washing, washing floors. Then there are the more damaging, less useful ways to avoid writing - play computer games, watch TV. I haven't even avoided my writing by sitting and sewing! There is a serious problem afoot!
In trying to work out what my problem is, I can only conclude that I am fearful this third book in the Australian Challenge Quilt Series will not be as good as the first two. I'm afraid I will let my readers down. Anything I do type I feel unhappy with.
So I asked my husband to read what I have written to date and give me an opinion. He said it was as good as everything else I have written. Why don't I believe him? How do I overcome this immense brick wall in front of me?
I should take a leaf from the gum tree I photographed at Marysville last weekend. Despite the raging firestorm of Black Saturday last year, and even though the outside of the trees are all charred black as night, the leaves are growing wherever they can, strong and green. I need to be like the burned trees, and the people of Marysville - fight back with confidence and cheerfulness; keep on going and in the end I will succeed.

2 comments:

Erica Spinks said...

Hi Margaret, I suffer from this all the time. My solution is to get up and walk away temporarily. My brain usually processes whatever stumbling block I have while I go for a walk and next time I sit at the computer, the words seem to flow. Creativity is a magical process and I can never force it.

Margaret A. Rowe said...

Hi Erica, The problem was actually making it to the chair in front of the computer in the first place. I am learning more about 'fear' every day. Hope it has passed for a while now. Cheers, M