Writing Anxiety Is Annoying

Tue, Sep 1, 2009

Digital Anthropology

Writing Anxiety Is Annoying

Seth Simonds put me on a week-long task.  Every day for a week, I must write 300 words.  That’s not too hard.  I talk 50 times as much during the course of the day, have thoughts up the wazoo, and take furious notes whenever something sparks me.  So why then, does it take so much out of me to just write down my thoughts and publish them on a website?

The only place that I have privacy for my thoughts and ideas exists in my mind, and often it’s hard for me to let that go.  I feel vulnerable, while at the same time moved to share my thoughts and ideas with the world.  It is something that I must get over – I have no choice – if I am to succeed in this space.

How To Get Over It

Here are a few ways that I’ve come up with how to deal with writing anxiety:

  • Don’t call it writing anxiety – call it procrastination.  If I do this, then it appears less scary, and more like I need to just get it done.
  • Shove the judgments away. Lots of writing anxiety surfaces because of internal judgments.  If you just write and stop worrying about what others will think, you’ll have an easier time getting your thoughts on paper.
  • Write on paper – not on the computer. It’s easy to press the delete key.  It’s for your hands to stop typing.  I find that writing in a journal allows my writing to be more free fluid.
  • Get inspired. If I am passionate about a subject or have an opinion on it, it’s easier for me to write more on the subject.  Pick a topic that you’re knowledgeable and interested in and the anxiety will fall away.
Do you ever get writing anxiety, or any other anxietyw with publishing work?  How do you deal with it?
Photo via soartsyithurts

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  • Tim Parker
    I think your four tips sum up important points. Personally, I've been rather fortunate through the course of my life as a professional and a student. I've always approached writing as an important medium for expressing ideas and informing others. In my mind, writing serves a purpose and has a genuine and concrete value. Knowing the purpose and importance has always helped me move through any anxieties I may have had. It's easy to procrastinate and second guess yourself and your motives, but the answer is to just do it and see it through to the end. This is how we generally move forward and accomplish things in life, we put more focus on what we want to achieve, then on the thoughts of what may hinder us.
  • I totally agree, and I'm so over that writer's guilt. Don't we have enough internal conflict without feeling guilty for *not* writing ;) An English professor once told me something to the effect of, "Just write. Write whatever you're thinking, and you'll lead yourself to your thoughts through the writing process." Free thoughting/stream of consciousness type of stuff works for me usually. Happy scribing!
  • I like what your professor said. That seems the be the favorite trick - write without hesitation and something great will come out. I will start practicing that more!
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