Creative Writing - What's Stopping YOU From Being A Creative Writer?

So you want to be a creative writer.

You know that, deep down, you’ve got the talent for it. You also know you used to enjoy it years ago when you were younger and more carefree.

But however much on the surface you seem to want to be a creative writer, or rather RESUME being a creative writer again, something always seems to stop you.

You’re just too busy. Or you don’t have the right paper, pens and notebooks.

You haven’t written for a few years so you’ll need to read a book or two on creative writing. Or take a course.

You haven’t got many ideas, so you’ll need to gather some inspiration together from somewhere before you can begin.

Even if we don’t realise it, when we think we really want to be doing something, but we never get quite around to it, there’s only one thing truly stopping us.

We may make virtual lists in our minds of all the criteria we need before we can be a creative writer and start writing. Like some of the examples mentioned above.

So what happens if we actually did come to the point where everything is in place for us to begin, or resume, our creative writing career?

What if all the boxes on our virtual list WERE ticked?

Got the time to write? Check.

Got the right equipment – paper, pens, notebook, computer? Check.

Read a few books on creative writing? Check.

Taken a course in how to be a creative writer? Check.

Got a few ideas ready to explore? Check.

But still you’re not writing…

What’s going on, surely you’re ready now, all the boxes have been ticked, you’re good to go? Aren’t you?

The reason why, even if all the conditions you think you need to have in place ARE in place, is that there’s another box to be ticked.

An invisible box that you missed.

One that nearly all of us miss. And one that, until we do tick it, will continue to hold us back from creating. Perhaps forever.

What’s the name of this invisible box that holds you back after everything else has given us the green light?

Fear. Plain and simple. You’re scared to write. Even though apparently you have everything else in place, if the force of inertia caused by your fear is greater than the force of motivation you have to write, you’re not going anywhere. Simple physics.

So what can you do to tick this final box and get creating?

Step 1. Identify the fear. Be totally honest with yourself. What is it you’re afraid of? Failing? Not having enough ideas? Starting a new writing project and not finishing?

Maybe you’re actually afraid of writing something more wonderful and awe-inspiring than you ever thought possible? What then?

By recognising your fears, getting them out of that invisible box and into the open, they usually look a lot less intimidating than you thought they would.

And by seeing exactly what it is you’re dealing with, you can now formulate the best way to start overcoming them.

Step 2. Identify the REAL fear. Hang on wasn’t this step 1? No, this is the next level. If you thought your fear was not finishing a writing project, ask yourself “And so what does that mean?”.

Get to a new deeper level answer. Then ask again: “And so what does THAT mean?”

Ask, and honestly answer, the same question over and over until you get to the deepest level of your fear. Only then can you see what you’re dealing with and begin putting the steps in place to combat and overcome that fear.

Then you really are all set to start exploring those creative writing projects just waiting to be discovered.

Want to find out how more about how to unlock your creative writing potential? Head over to http://www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com, where you can also sign up for your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are frustrated they're not using their creative talents as well as they could be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com