Confronting the Challenges of Growth Day Three: Analysis Paralysis

Writing requires us to be two people: The creative and inspired writer, and the perfectionistic editor. You must be Writer A when you set down your first draft, and you must be Writer B when you edit your work. The more you learn about literature, the bigger Writer B will grow. He’s a bully, and he loves nothing more than to destroy everything that makes Writer A creative. It you allow this situation to fester, you will lose the ability to write completely.

As you start learning about literary theory, you will almost certainly develop a case of analysis paralysis. This is a downright dangerous situation to be in. It can freeze your creativity for the rest of your writing life if you let it. That’s why so many writers quit after they get their university degrees. What we do in this workshop can destroy your creative instinct, so we all have to keep an eye on Writer B’s growth. If the bully is getting too big, we must consciously remove him.

We’ve gone through this topic in the past, but given this week’s theme, it’s important to reiterate it.

I overcome analysis paralysis in a few different ways:

• I use mindfulness. I consciously try to put myself in the present moment by paying close attention to my surroundings instead of the critic inside my brain.
• I walk. This is probably the most powerful tool I have. The endorphins make excellent muses. Walking calms me, and calmness and inspiration go together well for me.
• I read something truly inspirational. Another writer’s greatness can often snap me out of my critical spell.
• I do automatic writing. I don’t allow myself to pause and think. I just write what comes into my brain as it arrives.
• I find some kind of prompt. That can sometimes push me out of my rut.

Sometimes, though, I just have to wait. Nothing works, so I have to let the phase pass on its own by simply not feeding it. I remove all my literary theory books from the pile and read creative work instead. I feed my creator and starve my editor until balance returns.

Prompt: Look at your current surroundings and write a piece of short fiction in that setting. You can write a short story or flash fiction. It’s up to you.