Demonofyoursoul's Journal - Buzznet::
And take it off your shoulders I’m used to carrying it . the way through first hour becuz the line "I'm lovin the way you shake your ass" was stuck in my
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When asked if he ever talked to himself, Woody Allen liked to respond: Yeah, its the only way I know to have an intelligent conversation with someone. Ba-da-bum.
Seriously, though, talking to yourself is big problem for many of us writers. Thats because we spend a lot of each day in our own heads, lost in our own thoughts. And our interior selves are prone to nattering. Occasionally, they say helpful stuff like: dont worry, or buck up, or itll be better tomorrow. But more often they say hurtful or downright nasty things like:
ArticlesTo.com::
Five Easy Ways To Shake The Writing Devil Off Your Shoulder by Daphne Gray-Grant When asked if he ever talked to himself, Woody Allen liked to respond:
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Blog@Newsarama » The Fifth Color - Forward into the Past ::
Or have a net because a hefty majority of the books promise that your head’s going to come right off your shoulders. Shock! Awe! Change! Twists and turns!
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Gee, youre a crummy writer
In a million years, no one will ever read this
This lede (beginning of an article) is incredibly dull
No one is going to buy what youre trying to sell
You cant write a call to action to save your life
Josh Becker: "Devil Dogs: The Battle of Belleau Wood" (page 3 of 6)::
Let's get your, uh . . . belongings off the bridge, if you don't mind. . They look at each other for a moment, then shake their heads.
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SomaCow on ZENcast.com::
SomaCow 71: A Black Pussy Over the Shoulder Saves Nine… . At the time of this writing, there are three primary ways to break your own []
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That headline sucks
B-O-R-I-N-G
Youre no good at this
Lets face it, this is just too hard
Are you old enough to remember TV cartoons from the 1960s? If so (or if youre a toon fan), you may recall a miniature devil, complete with pitchfork, who sat on the shoulder of many a main character. This little devil whispered bad advice and spiteful ideas into the characters ears -- egging him on to do the wrong or rotten thing.
You might visualize the malicious little voice inside your head -- the one that tells you youre a crummy writer -- as that cartoon devil. Gleefully, he focuses on the negative in your writing, particularly on what youre doing wrong.
Of course, this devil can be dealt with. But first you need to recognize him and his mouthy ways. Your first step is to start auditing what he tells you. Pay attention! Write down what he says. Note the time of day. Notice how often he pesters you. Once you start listening for his voice, you may be surprised at what hes telling you. Perhaps you had no idea how effectively his comments were tying you in knots.
Then, when youve completed your audit, you can move on to exorcising him. Here are five extremely effective strategies for fighting back:
Bully him in return. When the devil starts to tell you that youre a crummy writer, yell (silently, in your mind) STOP! Shake your head, shrug your shoulder. Wiggle your fingers. (And if, like me, youre a fan of the 50s musical, you could even consider humming a salutary chorus of Im gonna wash that man right out of my hair...)
Negotiate. When the devil says your writing is boring tell him: You may be right, but I dont have time to deal with this. If youre feeling generous, you might add: Ill think about it later when Im not so busy writing.
Agree with him. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to disarm people when you suddenly and unexpectedly agree with them? It takes the wind right out of their sails and they tend to become very silent. Say to your devil: Yeah, youre probably right; Im a crummy writer. But, you do know what? Im going to finish this writing anyway. Then do it.
Argue with him. Start by deconstructing what the devil is telling you. Notice how so many of his comments are absolutes and over-generalizations: You always write such boring introductions. Or, Why dont you ever write anything pithy? Do those comments make any sense at all? Can you honestly say that every single introduction youve ever written in your entire life, from kindergarten until today, has been boring? Do you know for absolute certain that the word pithy does not apply to a single sentence youve ever crafted? Of course not! The devil needs to generalize because the devil doesnt speak the truth. Call him on it.
Replace him. And this is the most fun step of all. Give your devil an alter-ego -- a little white angel who sits on your other shoulder. (They did that in the cartoons, too, remember?) And for every nasty comment the devil makes, have your angel say the opposite. If the devil whispers: Youre a crummy writer, your angel should reply: Youre a BRILLIANT writer. Note: It doesnt matter whether you believe this is true. This is a battle of over-generalizations. Be bold!
Negative thoughts will not only hurt your writing; theyll also make writing slower and more painful. Dont let the devil get away with it. Be sure to fight back.
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Five Easy Ways To Shake The Writing Devil Off Your Shoulder