Three Fears
Bernard Malamud's writer/psychotherapist daughter has written a very insightful piece on what stops people from writing or, for that matter, from other imaginative, self-expressive projects. I hesitate to use the word "creative" after reading what she has to say about it.
Janna Malamud Smith draws from her new book, An Absorbing Errand: How Artists and Craftsmen Make Their Way to Creative Mastery, which advances the idea that, simply put, people give up "because they trip over unconscious fears that lie like rakes across their paths, and they go splat, and it feels awful, and they figure the game’s up, and that they have no talent or they’re not 'creative' enough."
Her post on Writersdigest.com convincingly summarizes three fears: of being seen, being humiliated, being alone. She argues that these very fears can be turned into fuel for doing the work.
If you get to the book before I do, please let us know here what you think. Thanks.
February 2nd, 2013 at 2:02 am
Delivered just in the nick of time!
February 2nd, 2013 at 5:48 am
Seeing around me perhaps a hundred or two people at a Wake Forest University conference again honoring poet and professor A. R. "Arch" Ammons (Cornell U.) I thought to myself "all of us could be writing (poems) right now." Since my writing is along the margins (I call it "marginal") I was, in fact writing, as I am "every" day. For me it is not "my" writing but the voice – singing – through my pen(s).
February 3rd, 2013 at 6:34 am
Glad it was good timing, Rebecca. And I hope you’re enjoying running the writing groups. The consult I had with you was certainly helpful.
February 3rd, 2013 at 6:35 am
And such an intriguing voice, too, Bob.
February 3rd, 2013 at 9:27 pm
Being humiliated is the worst of these three fears for me. Ugh!! Aiki
February 5th, 2013 at 8:20 am
Thank you Peggy! I've ordered the book and look forward to reading it. Will let you know…
February 5th, 2013 at 8:48 am
Thanks, Frances. I’ll be interested in whether you find it helpful.
February 5th, 2013 at 8:50 am
Likely true for everyone, Aiki– or at least I think that underlies all the others.