Battle of the Writers Syndromes
by Cindy Layton
Writers have a unique set of neuroses. By that I mean they assign names for afflictions that are specific to their occupation.
There’s the familiar Writer’s Block. As common as the cold.
Also common among the group is Imposter Syndrome. It’s for people at that stage of writing who readily label themselves a fraud but cannot label themselves a writer.
I’ve also come across the Too Many Ideas Syndrome (yes, really) and Hypergraphia, (*) which is basically the opposite of writer’s block, but with an added compulsion of inspiration that drives the writer to produce pages.
Second Book Syndrome is typically ascribed to debut authors who, after publishing their initial work, are now attempting their second book. This second book, it’s feared, may not live up to the debut, or may not be as well received. The circumstances of the writing are also different because they may now involve a time deadline or a more organized and structured production process. It may be constrained by the details of the previous book if it is the second in a series. All of this can send the author into a tailspin of doubt and anxiety.
The poorer cousin to this scenario is the writer who’s written a book and had it shelved, rejected or held in abeyance, pending some amazing turn of fortune.
There is no known label for that and yet the circumstances provide their own set of neurotic tendencies. Let’s just say it’s the equivalent of Imposter Syndrome on steroids.
I suppose when you’re in your own head for long periods of time, alone, processing thoughts and attempting to translate them into coherent language, you’re much more prone to label and then embrace the dysfunction that ensues.
Isn’t that the first step to recovery?
The battle against these “syndromes” all put together, is the nature of writing. Any, or all, might afflict a writer at any time. It seems necessary to working through the grind.
Define it? Yes. Label, it? Fine. Embrace it? No.
Resolve to not be so loving to the syndromes. Don’t allow them to become so precious.
(*) Here’s a link to the definition of Hypergraphia, a medical condition said to afflict famous writers such as Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates and others.
