Welcome to the Two Writing Buddies dialogs, where we talk about our creative process and issues that arise in our writing.
This week’s dialog is inspired by an article by Henriette Lazaridis Power called Embracing Discomfort. It’s on the Beyond the Margins web site, a great resource for writers.
Denise: In her article, Henriette Lazaridis Power talks about the ways we avoid things that make us uneasy, and how confronting these issues makes us better writers. She asks “What’s your greatest writing weakness? And what do you do to overcome it?”
Those questions inspired me to approach the idea of embracing discomfort on a more personal level. I’ve always liked the quote from the poet John Berryman, “Travel in the direction of your fear.” Like Henriette Lazaridis Power, I think it’s fruitful to meet your fear and discomfort head on.
So, my questions for our discussion today are: What are the sore points in your personal life and history? How do these experiences inform your writing?