The Bus: Banish Internal Critics

Here we are – a roomful of diverse writers and more to come as the week goes on. Before I unfold our workshop let me share a useful exercise. For writers who came to the workshop and those who could not, for creative souls everywhere, I want to share an exercise from AWA founder Pat Schneider and writer Jim Eagan.

Most of us have a whole line-up of critics looking over our shoulder when we begin to do creative work – voices we may not even know are there – sixth-grade teacher? English professor? Father? Mother? Brother or sister? Other writers? We don’t need an ipod for the words of critics to play in our heads. What to do about it?

Here is an exercise some call The Bus. Pat calls it Getting Rid of Internal Critics. You can find the exercise laid out in my earlier post titled “Who will tell that part of the earth’s story, if you do not?” The words are Pat Schneider’s, who calls the exercise “a powerful tool for discovering and laying to rest those internal voices that still block us when we try to write. . . . It’s never too late,” she emphasizes, “to get rid of internal critics.”

Whether you are an experienced writer or an “expert-in-training,” this can be a good tool to put in your creative tool-box. You can find more writer wisdom, resources, exercises, and writing prompts in Pat Schnieder’s book Writing Alone and With Others – a great resource.