When I first started writing, it was a dream come true. I was excited to finish my first piece and any encouraging feedback I got, I held on to it so hard that I can remember some of those early responses. Along the way, my love for writing has gone through different transformations. I have learned that it is not easy to always remain creative and maintain the initial joy of writing I initially had when I began. Now I am keen to look out for and avoid factors that destroy my creativity and excitement when writing. Some of these killers are discussed in this three-part article.

The assumption that all writers should write in a certain way

While there are guidelines on what good writing is, the writing process is many times very personal. Any piece of writing carries along a part of the writer’s personality or style, especially, for creative writing. Every writer writes in their own way even when following specific rules and that is what makes written work special. Do not try too hard to fit into what everyone expects of you. Cultivate your own style that is synonymous to you.

Fear

Fear is one of the most crippling emotions. It destroys any possible form of progress, in most cases, because of a danger that could be non-existent or of no consequence. Creativity requires some level of risk to which fear is opposed. One way to deal with fear is by taking the first step and moving forward. The first step is always the hardest but if you can take it, your plan starts to fall into place and before you know it, you are making remarkable progress.

Overthinking negative feedback

Have you ever received positive feedback for a while and suddenly you got a negative response? Humans have been proven to concentrate more on negative aspects of their lives compared to everything else that may be going right around them. You are a writer but before everything else, you are human and you are prone to placing too much focus on the negatives in your life. Learning how you can deal best with negative news is crucial. You should allow yourself time to absorb the information but it is important to move forward from this point. Remind yourself of your achievements and do not let one response overshadow everything else you have worked for.

Working out of compulsion rather than passion

It is easier to be creative when your work involves what you love doing. This does not mean everything will always be easy and that you will not face challenges when you work on what you are passionate about. It means that even though the obstacles will come, your drive and passion for what you do will keep you going, unlike if you are not passionate about your work. As a writer, having passion is always crucial. It is what will keep you going even when everything seems bleak and discouraging especially when you are beginning.