Shame
by CRAIG KELLEM

Shame can be a strong and divisive emotion, especially for writers. It seems to
surface at the very worst times and when we are most vulnerable. It's also an
occupational certainty, and how we deal with it can make a huge difference in
our progress.

One of the major ways to offset this overwhelming negative sense is to first
digest the reality of the business. Accomplishing creative goals simply does
not come easy--for anyone. Behind the scenes of all great screenplays that
seemed to the outside observer to come so easily, was undoubtedly confusion,
lots of frustrating trial and error, periods that lacked inspiration, but most
devastating at all--feedback that made us feel insecure, and right next door to
feeling...shamed.

Our reaction to this feeling was often the same--either reject the creative
input, harden or give up!

But what if we knew in advance of these notes, feedback and "criticism" that
difficulty and even chaos was absolutely normal. Scott Peck's famous contention
that "life is difficult," and that "if we truly understand and accept this, that
in a way life is no longer difficult," can be applied here in the sense that
knowing that the path to creative success is loaded with potholes can allow us
to continue to live with our deepest dreams and enjoy their percolation while
our creative stance is temporarily in shambles.

We could also live with the notion that maybe a script which is (and will only
be) just okay, could be the necessary prerequisite for the one that eventually
does the trick.

What if every time we hear something ostensibly negative about our work, we
remembered that every writer worth his or her salt had or is going through this
exact experience as well, fully knowing that this is only part of the process
and should not in any way be taken personally. And when the sometimes
inevitable feeling of negativity and shame arises to the surface it can often be
viewed as a positive, as it reminds us HOW PROFOUND AND VITAL THIS WORK IS TO US AND HOW MUCH WE CARE and how we need to remember to take a deep breath and stay in the game because it is worth it. In fact you can think of it like first being in love, always uncomfortable but usually worth the pain.

Hang in there. We all fret and blush. Avoiding it can be hazardous to our well
being.

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