Hello,
I'm writing from Texas. I've been an artist, a photographer and now I write. My problem is, once I've learned to do something well I move on to something new. Writing is the only passion I've come back to.

I've taken several creative writing courses. My last class ended a week ago. The instructor believes I have talent and offered to write a letter of recommendation to get me into one of the best writing programs in our state.

I haven't written since class ended. Stories tumble around inside my head 24/7. I'm depressed when I don't write. For the first time in my life I know what I want to do. Why am I denying myself?

I've ordered your book. It takes 5-7 business days arrive mail. I need to break the cycle of being afraid of success or what ever it is that happens when I do things well. It happened with art, photography, and any number of other creative outlets I've mastered or succeeded at doing well.

I have stories and essays I haven't even finished.

Is there help or hope for someone like me?

Sorry. I forgot to post my latest blog: http://limner-inaword.blogspot.com/
I have several but it's easier to share random writing. I can write every day but I ask myself who do I think I am believing I have something worth saying. No one ever comments so that proves I just have an ego.

Hi Limner! I really hope some other people comment here, too, because I resonate SO MUCH with things you say, and have heard many many other people talk about the same struggles. I have felt all the same doubts, hopes, confusions, etc. I'm going to read your blog but I only have a minute right now and wanted to respond to you right away. I hear a lot of hope in your story, and will be interested in what you feel/think after reading the book.
This is another invitation for anyone else reading these forums to post a response. I am happy to contribute my thoughts, but I'm also hoping that this will become a community board and not just an "Ask Anne" forum...anyone else out there that would care to join in?
Thank you for speaking from your heart, Limner--I think that appreciating your "blocks" as understandable fears, rather than as evidence of some defect in yourself, can help to make sense of them and can point you towards getting beyond them--actually, in exactly the way you're doing it--reaching out for support!!! I hope you can find some strength, inspiration, and comfort here.

Limner, I just read your post in the other thread, and plan to respond to you there, too. But here I want to tell you that I read your blogs, and I still feel like your writing both took my breath and gave me breath. After reading your post in the other thread, I come back to you here and understand your words in a new light. I feel enriched by your stories. Now I appreciate your risk is in losing others when you let yourself shine through--outshining, outperforming, you "class" yourself right out of the mainstream. Having just finished your writing class, where you could find a hero, mirror and maybe even a twin with the professor, you feel strengthened and validated once again, but that is the problem. How to moderate one's talent in order to stay connected with "peers"? For you, creative "success" has meant losing others--since the quality of immersion cannot be changed, you can only dim your bright light by quantitative-type things like typos or incompletion.
I guess I'm responding to your other post here, too. Finding twins is hard. I'm sorry to lapse into terminology that I introduce in the book. I do know what you mean, though. I skipped 2nd grade--I remember the other kids treating me differently--even in the 3rd grade I outperformed the other students. I remember purposely failing a math test so I could fit in. In high school, I became an underachiever. But that position didn't solve my problem either. I have managed to discover (and even create in imagination) heroes and twins along the way. But these have been very special relationships and certainly are not a dime a dozen.

Oh my goodness! You DO understand! I used to dumb down. I still do, occasionally, especially with my family.

I printed the excerpt from your book, and I took it to this week's therapy session. I ordered the book after I left my counselor's office.

I appreciate your honesty about how hard it is to find a twin. I've been searching for "kinship" all my life. I'm not big on creating imaginary heroes or imaginary friends for reasons too personal too write about here.

I wish I'd ordered your book at the overnight rate.

Thank you!

I'll be very interested in your thoughts/reactions after you read it...thanks, limner