Writing Anxiety

Fake it till you make it. Pretend you ahve the confidence and behave in a way you would if you did - eventually the confidence will be there.

Not as easy as it sounds, I know, but as a socially awkward, severely uncofident young woman it's worked for me in nearly all situations.

There are, of course, other paths, especially when the problem is as deep as you suggest. The thing is, of course you aren't going to have much imagination while you're having an anxiety attack!

Stop being so hard on yourself. Writers get stuck and sometimes don't know how to carry on or finish a story, and sometimes it takes weeks or months to throw up an answer. Even the most famous and prolific of them do it.

Everyone gets over it in their own way. I would suggest you barrel through the anxiety, keep writing even though you think you're stressed or anxious about it, or your body and mind will get you into a pattern. Even if you just write 'I don't know what to write' over and over again for an hour the physical action of writing will unfreeze the brain and calm the anxiety.

Then, give yourself permission to suck. To have bad ideas, to write poorly. The combination may well calm your anxiety to managable levels.

As for the imagination - I've never not had one, but even I need to brainstorm plot developments from time to time - you should too. The imagination doesn't work in isolation, it needs to rub against the world and bounce off other people. Feed it with other peoples fiction, visits to museums, long walks in the countryside, investigating interesting places and conversations with others. Then, give it space to roam by a: not worrying about it and b: talking through ideas and stuck places with other writers.

Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.
Norman Vincent Peale

Thought this might help.

Don't set your goals so high. Give yourself permission to write the worst story possible.

I came across this blog today. I found it to be helpful for my current situation. I think it will help with yours. ^_^

There are things you can do to reduce your overall anxiety level - cut caffeine, sugar, alcohol. exercise, and stretching helps me- though I never do it enough.
There's also rationalizing. You know you're going to get anxious when you write, so when you sit down acknowledge that you will, and that's okay.
For those of us with chronic anxiety- sometimes giving yourself permission helps.
I always freak out when I have to try something new, or go to a new place. It's a terrible habit because my job moves me around every few months. So to combat it, I acknowledge it's going to happen. I write a list of the things I need to have with me, and things I should do on my first day. I make more lists of instructions I get, or expectations people offer me.
lists are my crutch, they keep me grounded.

As for imagination, you don't have much control over when that's going to work. My solution is a sketchbook- I carry it everywhere and fill it with drawings and notes as the come to me. It's always by my bed at night so I can write in it if I wake up with a fun dream.
A friend of mine cuts out articles she likes, or copies down pieces of writing she enjoys.
Find a system to store up all your imaginings, and you'll have a back up system when it's not available on demand.

Brain storming is great for coming up with stuff too- I like the Pixar writing rule -> write down all the stuff that wouldn't happen. I can think of tonnes of stuff that would be a terrible idea- maybe they'll knock a good one loose.

Everyone works differently, so you'll have to experiment and see what works for you. (And just that process of trying different things should help also, as you gain experience.)

Some things I've seen suggested, or I've done:

- shrink the typing window, or type with your eyes closed/looking out the window
- get a little notebook or a voice recorder and do your brainstorming/drafting away from the computer, then come back to transcribe
- go do something else - wash dishes, exercise, etc. - and let ideas percolate in the background

General relaxation exercises can help too, talking yourself through the anxiety, making sure you have enough sleep etc. as someone else suggested.

RookieWriter said:

The feeling happens mostly when I try fiction writing, not when I write news stories or other forms of non-fiction.

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What happens if you try writing fiction in the form of a news story? Using the format you know might help you focus on the new elements you're trying to master.

RookieWriter said:

I run out of things to write after only a few pages sometimes. When I get stuck, I start to question my ability. "Can I do this? Am I smart enough? Am I clever enough? Do I have any talent at all?"

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Answer to all of these: yes. But it takes work to get there.

Instead of questioning yourself, try asking questions about the story/character. What is the character seeing/hearing/feeling/smelling physically right now? What are her emotional responses to those sensations? What does she think or deduce as a result of her environment? What happened just prior to this? What was her emotional reaction to that? What does she expect to happen next? What does she plan to do next? Is this a familiar place, totally new, one she's only heard about? Same with the situation; is it familiar; what past experiences are similar that shape her reactions? What's she wearing; what does that signify to others around her (status/class, occupation, trustworthiness/morals); what does she feel about how she appears (trying to be invisible, trying to project a certain image, wishing she could afford to look different...).

...a bunch of examples there; not saying you need to go through all of that every time. But when you're stuck, it's a good way to go forward, asking questions and exploring details until something jogs an idea loose. That can also be a way to deal with anxiety: you don't have to figure out the whole story at once, or even the whole scene. Just explore this one question and see where it takes you.

One of the best pieces of advice I got was to "draft for myself, edit for an audience." In other words, take the pressure off. Write whatever you feel like writing, and give yourself permission to suck. After all, you can go back and change every single word/paragraph/scene in revision if you want to, but you can't revise if you don't ever get through that first draft.

Hi, Rook. Whilst working on my own stuff, I sometimes peruse aye-dub. I came across your posting and it resonated with something buried deep within my writer's psyche, such that it is.

You've received some really good ideas for dealing with your anxiety and getting your creative juices flowing, so I won't rehash. I suspect you're thinking too much. You're stuck inside your head, Rook. You're your own worst critic and your own worst enemy.

I bet if you asked a hundred posters on AW if they ever felt unconfident about their writing, the vast majority would tell you, Hell, yes! I believe lack of confidence comes part and parcel with writing. Think of what you're doing: You're documenting your own thoughts and ideas, committing them to paper (relatively speaking), second-guessing not just content, but worthiness and skill, and on top of that, the thought of actually putting it out there to be scrutinized and judged. . .


What if you suck?

Write anyway. It doesn't matter if you write a paragraph or a page. There are no rules, Rook. Take advantage of this website. Read what others have written. You're going to find writers of all skill levels. Try your hand at critting. Go to the social threads and maybe post your thoughts.

You know what strikes me, Rook? You don't think you're a writer, yet here you are.

You're in the right place. Look at you, putting it out there. Nobody here wishes you anything but the best, best, best. Give yourself a break and a pat on the back because you've already taken a big step.

Looking forward to reading your stuff.

I had similar problems, and still do when I'm reaching for the next step, whatever that next step might be (like revising. I'm now okay with drafting, but freeze for revising.)

First recommendation: any writing is better than no writing, as has been mentioned above. Even if you're a beginner and just writing crap, the only way to get better is to keep doing it.

Of course, when you get over the "write fright", you'll want to work on improving a writing skill each session (unless it's a bad day and then just write horrible words instead of worrying about skills.)

Second is learn what your natural writing/invention rate is and work with that. My writing chunk is about 400 words. It was less when I first started. Even though I only write two chunks a day, 800 words, one in the morning at one at night, I'll still get to my target novel length in about four months.

You're very welcome, Rook.

I have lots of imagination so I can't really say anything about that.

But about writing anxiety, well I have that all the time, like right now I should be writing but I can't.

The thing is, it isn't really writers block, for me anyway, because if I can overcome the anxiety I'll write just fine, I'm anxious about the act of writing but I know what I want to write, sometimes I even know the words and lines, I just can't get around to write it, this is related to my mental state.

Before I used to get blocked all the time though, try to create your characters and write them down, like for example, Peter, the main character in my teenager drama/romance, I know almost every single aspect of his personality, I have it in a word document along with other characters, just write the physical and psicological traits of your characters, that way you can always go check and think how they should act.

Also buy a white board! They are so cheap this days and I think that it's essential to every writer so you can make timelines of events for either short stories, chapters, anything you're working on, my white board has right now the timeline of what's going to happen in the first chapter of my sci-fi novel, I always know that that's what I want to happen, so I can just write about it, once I get pass the anxiety thing.

I found that his helped a lot, I wish you the best of luck trying to overcome your problems!

Being a writer is like any other trade: say you are, and you are. The questions are how skilled do you want to be, how much pride do you take in your craft, what standards do you set for yourself, how highly regarded do you want to be -- and then how hard are you willing to work for it?

If you look at it in a professional sense, you probably have a fair idea where you sit in the pecking order -- now you have to decide whether that's okay or whether you want more. If more, then sharpen your skills, practice constantly, study the techniques of others, form your own game plan. Every trade has its tools; yours just happen to be words.

For every moment of glamor in the trade, there's are hours, days, weeks of lonely time where you're testing yourself both professionally and emotionally. The former would be easy if it weren't for the latter sneaking up on you and whispering doubt in your ear. About all you can do is look at it as a job, one that you intend to execute in a workmanlike way, knowing that with each job you get a bit better (and stronger).

RookieWriter said:

2. Lack of imagination. This ties in with the first part. I often find myself having a lack of imagination when trying to write fiction. I'm not sure how to get past this, but if I want to write fiction I need to do it. I run out of things to write after only a few pages sometimes. When I get stuck, I start to question my ability. "Can I do this? Am I smart enough? Am I clever enough? Do I have any talent at all?" Instead of focusing on the story I start to beat myself up, and the whole thing falls apart. It might be several days before I even am able to convince myself to sit down and try it again.

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I totally have this problem. I feel like I'm telling a good story and then I read some chapters from writers in my critique group and their imaginative scenarios or style or their detailed use of magic makes me feel inadequate. Mine feels so unformed and vague compared to theirs.

I don't know the solution, except to keep writing. I try not to compare my work to theirs on the basis of thier ceremonial magic vs. my more intuitive inborn use of magic. I try to concentrate on what I HAVE done right. I try to remember that if the reader cares about the characters, they don't need a lesson on how to call the four elements or whatever.

Here's a quote from Neil Gaiman that I made a kinda poster of and hung on the wall beside my PC:

"Pretend to be someone who can do it, and then act like they would."

Always, ALWAYS gets me through hard times, this one.

I just dealt with this. I have generalized anxiety disorder. It's really uncomfortable. My inner critic likes to dance around in my head and ignite fires that take up most of my thoughts. It's hard to tell him to shut up, but I'm working on it.

I didn't write any creative writing for years and found my voice dry and boring. Small steps. I just chose a writing prompt for every day and wrote as much as I could, without thinking. I even had to close my eyes to write. Even if I only spent 5 minutes, eventually something inside me broke, and I've even got a plot and a few characters lined up.

I'm also a freelance writer, and there are tons of articles that deal with the the impostor syndrome. A lot of seasoned writers feel the same way too. That could be a source of comfort.

Honestly, I think that this is something all writers deal with at some point. I'd say that one of the most important things you can do is to think positively about your work. There will ALWAYS be someone who has something nasty to say. This could be your mom, your spouse, your best friend, or a random person on the Internet. SOMEONE will be negative, but that someone should never be you. Instead of thinking, "This idea sucks. This idea is terrible," think "I can really make this into an amazing story." It might take time, but it's really important to believe that you can write your story in an amazing way and you can do it in a way that no one else can.

There's alot of good advice in this thread. I'm dealing with writing anxiety as well. It's like, the story is so perfect in my head, that putting it on paper as anything less than an amazing completed draft feels like I'm sullying it. I really like Cybernaught's suggestion to not just give yourself permission to suck, but to write the worst story possible.

Since you said you can come up with a few pages before getting stuck, what if you try to write some short stories just to get into the habit of writing - and finishing something.

Alternately, if you want to work on your writing skills without stressing over not having an idea you are happy with, you can write some non-fiction stories and just focus on your craft.

Then, when you have confidence in both your writing ability and your ability to finish a story, you can move on to longer works...

Hope that helps. I can't speak for everyone, but I know I've certainly had my share of doubts about my work.

You may give freewriting a go. That way you train your brain to come up with words, no matter what.

August Talok said:

Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.

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To me, this is simply the best advice any writer can follow...no matter your problem. When I write in any form I get words on paper. Sometimes I skip scenes I haven't figured out yet. Sometimes I write a scene knowing it's not exactly what I want, but i need it there, I need it out of my head, or at the very least as a placeholder for later, better ideas. Either way, the more you work on it the more it will be in the back of your head as you go about your day, and without notice you'll start filling in gaps in your story or figuring out stronger ways to tell the story or write a scene.

As far as anxiety, i have a hard time answering that. i'm a very anxiety-filled person on many fronts, but writing is what i use to calm that anxiety. the best thing i can say is...write for yourself. 99% of everything i've written will never be seen any anyone else, but i love to reread my stuff because i like it. if you don't care what anyone else thinks, then there's nothing to be anxious about...much easier said, i know.

for imagination...find some ways to jump-start your abstract thinking. look at the most mundane things...a light switch, toilet paper, a dish, whatever...and think of it as a character, it's role in life, how it feels about things that relate to it and things that have nothing to do with it, how it interacts with the other objects around it, give it a back story. to me, and this is just me, imagination truly comes from asking questions about things and in ways that you normally wouldn't care about. answer those questions with dialogue and description and you have yourself an imagination.

Heya RookieWriter!

I agree with what people say - action is the most important part.

I also deal with anxiety. In fact, this year I was at a point where anxiety crippled my whole life. I was so anxious I would sit there, arguing with myself about what was worse - to sit down and not do anything, or just start?

Honestly, this went on for months. I do have an anxiety disorder, if you can imagine. Anyway, some days were good, where I could beat my inner critic, but they were followed with weeks on end of miserableness.

I couldn't stand it anymore and just started writing. It was absolute crap. The ideas were crap... however, the next day my ideas got better. I could create better plots. The ideas just flowed, and eventually my chest loosened up.

My writing is still horrible - and the best thing about it is that most people say their first drafts are absolutely horrible. In fact, my characters rarely do anything I want them to do in my first draft (I sometimes yell at them "NO, don't do that!"), but I keep writing because you just need to have something down before you can make it golden.

There's also a writing exercise where you write the same scene repeatedly until you like it. Like a really short scene. It works.

Those are my two cents, even though everyone on this thread has already given you the best advice ever.

When I write now, I can't believe I don't hear my inner critic anymore, and I can literally zone out of everything else except for the scene that I am writing. It's crazy, because I've lived years on end with someone telling me in my ear that I'm going to screw up (and it famously did that to me and robbed me of joy from pumpkin chucking one year...long story). I don't even need to tell itself to go away or shut up anymore. I totally forget.