In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a comment from a writer online about having a moment of wondering why she’s still trying to write.
Having one of those nights where it feels like all of my writing is just a giant waste of time and nothing is ever going to come of it so why do I keep trying 🙃 (This feeling means I’m due for some kind of success like, tomorrow, right??)
I love the positive spin at the end! I had a similar response, which was, “My take is that it means you’re on the verge of a breakthrough with your current script!” And, I immediately had several further thoughts on the subject, so I asked for permission to elaborate, which was granted.
In the article, I discuss the following suggestions for supporting yourself in a dark night of the soul moment:
- Know that dark nights of the soul are real and normal, yet painful.
- Ask yourself what it would look like not to write.
- Remind yourself why you love to write.
- Hold that no writing is ever wasted.
- See frustration as a sign of an impending breakthrough.
- Focus your appreciation on the process of writing.
- Create your own outcomes.
Although it might feel scary, these deep, dark nights of the soul are excellent fodder for equally deep moments of clarity.
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
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