How to OVERCOME WRITER'S BLOCK According to a Developmentally Disabled Man

                                    

                                              
Denny is an adult male in his fifties that is developmentally challenged. Just recently Denny discovered facebook. *name changed to protect his privacy.
                          
If I ventured a guess I'd say around 80% of his posts are about heart matters (The other 20% are videos of baby ducks going down waterslides-pretty awesome).
                          

                            
                              
                                
                                
                              
                            
                            
                          

                          
This was Denny' first facebook post.
                          
*insert picture of woman in a wet white t-shirt* His caption: I like boob
                          
I thought it was hilarious but other people didn't agree with me. Some of them criticized Denny. They told him he shouldn't post on facebook. He shouldn't talk about what he feels. He doesn't know what he's talking about. There was a gaggle of people publicly posting these types of comments on his wall. (I want to take this moment to point out how often us girls post pics of hot guys or people we follow post inappropriate videos. Do they get told the above things? Do they get made to feel guilt? Not usually. In my opinion he was a target because of people's opinions on what a disabled person can do, or more importantly what they can't).
                          
Denny kept posting anyway, and he doesn't only post about boobs. (Though trust me, they still find their way into his posts).
                          
I want to let his facebook status updates help you decide if he doesn't know what he feels. (I've posted what I think the translation is beside them for those struggling to read his writing). These are copied from his wall:
                          
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Thire is Sime one I still thenk abalt I wish she phone me (There is someone I still think about. I wish she'd phone me)
                          
I meen if I tell some one I love them then it meens I do (I mean, if I tell someone I love them then it means I do.)
                          
Some times it is hard to no wine some one rely likes you (Sometimes it is hard to know when someone really likes you).
                          
*At this point people started to make fun of how he writes. To that he had a reply.
                          
Just be cas some one cant right good dosnot meen thay are not smart (just because someone can't write good doesn't mean they are not smart).
                          
*Then he continued to share his heart.
                          
I am so sad and I am missing Some one ril bad (I'm so sad, I'm missing someone really bad)
                          
Women are frastradin (Women are frustrating) *It's true.
                          
If womin kept braking my hart there won't be iny lift soon (If women keep breaking my heart there wont be any left soon.)
                          
Ned love (need love)
                          
Win do you stop loveing some one and move on I have done so many times becas dont no how to tall some one hall I fill and I wirry to much. (When do you stop loving someone and move on? I have done so, many times. It's because I don't know how to tell someone how I feel and I worry too much).
                          
Some one uot thire is still on my mine (Someone out there is still on my mind).
                          
And sixteen hours ago he posts: I like woman
                          
***
                          
I tend to believe that everyone I come across has something to teach me. I kept finding myself drawn to Denny and his emotional transparency. I figured that was my lesson and I tried to be more honest with my person and friends.
                          
One day, I was staring at a blank screen, internally hitting myself because the words weren't flowing.
                          
Blank screen-1 and Rebecca-0.
                          
The worst part is, that I was about to swap teams for the winning side, even if it meant not writing a single word that day. Because the truth was, that inner negative voice that implied I wasn't good enough to write is very convincing.
                          
Then I thought about Denny. He was told he shouldn't do something--they implied he wasn't good enough to do it--and he still kept doing it, with humility, courage and openness. Instead of folding under the critical attack he admitted his weaknesses, he admitted his strengths, and he admitted his needs. I realized my emotional transparency needed to be with myself too.
                          
Denny taught me when the critical voice rears its ugly head you stop and address it with courage and confidence...
                          
Just be cas some one cant right good dosnot meen thay are not smart (just because someone can't write well doesn't mean they are not smart).
                          
...once that's done, you move on. Because if we let criticism keep us from sharing something beautiful/personal/transparent then everyone loses.
                          
Lately when the critical bug hits me I've been trying Denny's technique... and it's been working so far.
                          
How to overcome writer's block according to Denny.
                          
Step one. Address the critical voice. Acknowledge your fears: I'm afraid it isn't good enough. When I'm feeling stuck I ask myself why. Maybe it's because I'm not sure anyone will like this particular story, or this particular way I'm writing it.
                          
Step two. Embrace that you are not perfect, and that doesn't mean you're not capable. Acknowledge your needs: I need to be validated. Maybe if someone read what I have so far and gave me feedback I could see what is working and what isn't working. So I find a reader/critique partner.
                          
Step three. Remember what you are good at. Acknowledge your strengths: I am freakishly creative. When I'm feeling down on myself, it's hard to change my mindset. Sometimes I read through comments from readers or feedback I got from editors/critique partners. I remind myself that though there is always room for growth, I am good at some things, and great at others. We all have gifts, they may be in spelling/grammar/creativity/character development, or what have you. Find yours and use it against the critical voice.
                          
Step four. Don't give up. You have something in you to share. Write: Here's the thing-- sometimes, when you push through feeling crummy and write, the writing comes out crummy too. But here's the other thing-- it's easier to go back through and correct/expand/change bad/sloppy writing, than it is to go back and correct/change no writing at all.
                          
So next time you're stuck staring at a blank screen, or when you don't feel good enough, remember Denny and how he overcame the critical voices in his world. You never know, it might just help!