Interview with William Kenower, Part 1: What is Fearless Writing?
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with William Kenower/@wdbk
” You will find your confidence and begin writing fearlessly the moment you stop caring about what anyone else thinks.” William Kenower, Fearless Writing
Photo Credit: Pixabay Free Image
I was so moved by William Kenower’s book, Fearless Writing that as soon as I closed the cover, I emailed him to be my guest. And lucky for us, he responded right away. William is the author of several highly reviewed books. He also hosts a weekly online radio program called Author2Author where he interview writers and is the Editor-in-Chief at of Author Magazine.
My reviews of Fearless Writing can be found on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThing and Riffle.
Welcome, William!
Author William Kenower
Interview with William Kenower, Part 1: What is Fearless Writing?
KP: Fearless Writing Is not your typical how-to write book. In my opinion it stands out as a unique and refreshing contribution to the writing world. Can you share what inspired you to write this book and what you hope to convey through it?
WK: You’re correct; it is not a how-to-write-book. It is a how-to-get-into-the-frame-of-mind-where-writing-is-possible book. I wrote it because I learned at a pretty young age how to write. And yet I had no publishing success whatsoever until I learned about the many emotional challenges of writing. As a writer, I must learn how to rest in my inherent confidence every time I sit down to write. When I’m in that confidence, things go well. When I’m out of it, things do not go well at all. The book is meant to serve as a guide for how to stay in that inherent confidence, to find it on purpose, rather than accidentally.
KP: It’s no secret that writing is hard work. The statement that stands out to me is “what will others think of my work?” This seems to be a common concern for writers. You address this is the book but I wonder if you could summarize some key points about how a writer can get over that need to please others at the expense of their own creativity?
WK: Here’s a secret: You don’t actually care what anyone thinks of what you write. I know you think you do, but the fact is what you love to write has got nothing to do with whether anyone else will be interested in it. And the best writing you will ever do begins the moment you forget to care what anyone will think of what you’ve written. Forgetting to care what people will think of what you’ve written is what allows you to slip into The Flow, that dreamlike state where you forget about the world around you and become immersed in the world you’re writing about.
The way you get over caring about what other people think about your work is through practice. And it’s a lifelong practice, by the way – but that’s okay. The first step is to realize that we’ve all been trained to believe what other people think of our work is very, very important. Bit by bit, day by day, you will get better at ignoring the question: “I wonder what people will think of this?” It’s a useless question, but again, you must practice ignore it. It’s so very tempting to ask it.
The last piece of advice I would offer is pay attention to how feel when you ask this useless question. You won’t feel good. You won’t feel confident or relaxed or curious. You’ll be worried, because you can’t possibly know the answer. Then notice how good you feel when you forget to care, when you slip into The Flow. That difference should be all you need for your practice. You’re doing it right when you feel good.
KP: You mention that “creativity is the intersection between imagination and curiosity” and introduce the concept of “creative discomfort”. Can you talk a little more about this?
WK: First, it is helpful to think of creativity as the intersection of curiosity and imagination because it reminds me that my job is to have good question and not to know all the answers. My job as a writer is to ask, “What interests me most?” or, “What should happen next in this story?” or, “What’s the best image for this poem?” My imagination – or my muse, or Source Energy, or God, or whatever you like – is what provides the answers. When I believe I am wholly responsible for both the question and the answer writing feels impossible. When I need only have the question, it becomes much simpler.
Creative discomfort is part of our guidance system. The only way to know what I like is if I also know what I don’t like. The only way to know if I’ve found the right word, or the right sentence, or the right story – or the right job, lover, or city for that matter – is to notice the difference between the effortlessness of the right choice, and the effort of the wrong choice. The discomfort that comes when we make a choice that is out of alignment with who we are is meant not to punish us, but to guide us back to the right choice. The moment I understood that that discomfort was a part of my creative guidance I know longer dreaded it but instead learned to use it.
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This video is well-worth the 12 minutes to takes to listen to it. Enjoy!
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Author Bio:
William Kenower is the author of Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write With Confidence, and Write Within Yourself: An Author’s Companion, the Editor-in-Chief of Author magazine, and a sought-after speaker and teacher. In addition to his books he’s been published in The New York Times and Edible Seattle, and has been a featured blogger for the Huffington Post. His video interviews with hundreds of writers from Nora Ephron, to Amy Tan, to William Gibson are widely considered the best of their kind on the Internet. He also hosts the online radio program Author2Author where every week he and a different guest discuss the books we write and the lives we lead.
Book Synopsis:
Whether you’re a fledgling writer or a veteran with years of experience, fearlessness–that elusive blend of self-acceptance, confidence, and curiosity–is the defining quality of those who find fulfillment and success. Truly fearless authors banish writer’s blocks with ease, receive critiques gracefully, and infuse their passion for the craft into every word they write.
Filled with insightful wisdom and practical advice, Fearless Writing teaches you how to thrive as a writer, no matter your genre or career path. You’ll learn how to:
Find and enter a Flow state in which writing is a natural, deeply satisfying process.
Quiet both internal and external critics and embrace the inherent value in your work.
Use love, emotional engagement, and curiosity as the guiding principles for what you write and how you share it with others.
Overcome rejection, procrastination, and other obstacles that stifle your creativity.
From the blank page to the first draft, and from querying to marketing, the writing life is filled with challenges, roadblocks, and new experiences. With Fearless Writing, you’ll find the inner strength to embark on a bold journey–and build a lifelong career in the process.
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Thank you, William for sharing your passion and expertise about fearless writing. It makes so much sense and yet does require a conscious effort and practice. Now that I know what fearless writing means, I’m looking forward to Part 2, where you will explore fearless writing for memoir writers.
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How about you? Are you a fearless writer? What did it take to get there?
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave join in the conversation below~
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This Week:
Thursday, 8/24/17:
“Interview with William Kenower, Part 2: Fearless Writing For Memoir Writers”
Next Week:
Monday, 8/28/17:
” Back to The City: Lessons From WDC17″
August 2107 Newsletter: Updates, Memoir Musings, Max Moments.
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