Is Facebook’s “Meta” A Creativity-Killer?

“When I’m writing, I’m preoccupied with not writing well. But after I’m finished, it sounds sane and interesting. Does anyone here write with confidence from the gate? Are you confident throughout the process? I watched the fictional film they made about Shirley Jackson suffering through the writing of a particular novel. I have a friend that giggles at her own cleverness when she writes…I want to do that!” — Misty Sol

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To be honest, even after millions of words published, I still have the self-doubt and negative voices I always had. The difference is that I know I don’t have to pay attention to them. They are useful, in the sense that pain and fear help you pay attention. But once you HAVE focused your attention, you no longer need the negative emotions. I let ’em stick around because I’d rather be uncomfortable than sloppy. I’ve done that before in my life and career.

On Twilight Zone and Outer Limits, when I wrote my first episodes (“Teacher’s Aide”, “A Stitch In Time”) I absolutely brought my A-Game. I knew this was a life-changing opportunity, and I BURNED with the desire to do good, to get approval, to raise the level of my game.

But then…then I was told “these are the best first scripts we’ve ever seen!” and my ego went through the roof.

And…things went downhill.

On “Teacher’s Aide” I was asked to expand my twenty-page script to thirty pages. AND I FROZE. My pride in the first draft led directly to…