Although not written in stone, a better understanding of how and why you write, in terms of learning styles, can help alleviate some of the self-defeating self-talk.
Many writers know the doubt that follows an attempt to find inspiration in the habits or organizational skills of another writer via advice columns or classes. How many times have these experiences left you feeling like a failure when you can't bring yourself to write every day or write what or in the other ways that others believe you should?
Instead of beating yourself up for what you can't do, celebrate the way that you approach and accomplish writing. One way to do this is to assess your strengths and weaknesses, then acknowledge that the only failure comes from deciding you can't write because you can't follow arbitrary "rules".
For instance, as a visual learner, you might write more based on what you see than what you hear or feel. A kinesthetic writer could benefit from touching items she wants to describe. And an auditory learner could take a few minutes to close his eyes to listen for inspiration. If you are interested in learning more about these styles, do a search that includes any or all of these terms.
Also, just a quick nod to those with ADD or ADHD. Don't give up. Just try writing in smaller chunks, write down ideas when they come to you or try speaking into a tape recorder when the urge strikes. In other words, attempt to make it work for you.
For anyone who has been discouraged, please believe in yourself enough not to doubt your ability to express yourself in the unique way you have done all your life.
Many writers know the doubt that follows an attempt to find inspiration in the habits or organizational skills of another writer via advice columns or classes. How many times have these experiences left you feeling like a failure when you can't bring yourself to write every day or write what or in the other ways that others believe you should?
Instead of beating yourself up for what you can't do, celebrate the way that you approach and accomplish writing. One way to do this is to assess your strengths and weaknesses, then acknowledge that the only failure comes from deciding you can't write because you can't follow arbitrary "rules".
For instance, as a visual learner, you might write more based on what you see than what you hear or feel. A kinesthetic writer could benefit from touching items she wants to describe. And an auditory learner could take a few minutes to close his eyes to listen for inspiration. If you are interested in learning more about these styles, do a search that includes any or all of these terms.
Also, just a quick nod to those with ADD or ADHD. Don't give up. Just try writing in smaller chunks, write down ideas when they come to you or try speaking into a tape recorder when the urge strikes. In other words, attempt to make it work for you.
For anyone who has been discouraged, please believe in yourself enough not to doubt your ability to express yourself in the unique way you have done all your life.
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