Being a writer is hard work, any writer can tell you that. But what many writers won’t tell you is exactly how deep their writing problems go. There are countless writers out there who deal with constant guilt and shame around the writing process. Either because they’re not writing very much, or they’re not writing at all.
Sometimes these writers can admit they have a bad case of writer’s block, and sometimes they just think they’re bad writers and writing is something they should give up on. Usually, when a writer has gotten to this point, they’ve tried everything. They’ve used different writing plans and schedules, made outlines and lists and writing maps, and they think about writing all the time and how they can conquer their writing problems.
But still, when it comes time to sit down and write, the writer procrastinates. Or, they make themselves sit down but are filled with anxiety and dread. They freeze, get overwhelmed, and then become paralyzed, and another day goes by without any writing being done at all.
Then the writer is consumed with guilt and shame again. They ask themselves: Why does this keep happening to me?
The truth is that this dysfunctional cycle the writer is in has nothing to do with a lack of preparation, skill, talent, or time management. I talk about the real reason the writer is stuck in this cycle in the video below:
I’m teaching a new, live class this March called “Healing the Writer Within” and we’re going to be diving deep into what’s actually happening when writers sabotage themselves and why they do it time and time again. If you’ve had ongoing problems with writing over a long period of time, this is the class for you, because the problem is not going to get better all by itself and you need emotional support and guidance to get through it.
Be sure you sign up for my newsletter HERE to get all the updates and announcements about the class. And if you have any questions about it, you can contact me here.
I’ll be releasing the second video in this series very soon, so stay tuned!
Lauren Sapala is the author of The INFJ Writer and The INFJ Revolution. She is also currently offering a free copy of her book on creative marketing for INFJ and INFP writers to anyone who signs up for her newsletter. SIGN UP HERE to get your free copy of Firefly Magic: Heart Powered Marketing for Highly Sensitive Writers.
