Alison M. Gunn, Ph.D.
Writing and Creativity Counselor
More than twenty years ago, I was a publisher, working with both established and developing writers. As their editor and collaborator, I encouraged their creativity. Eventually, I found that all writers, no matter how experienced, had doubts about their identity as a writer.
I found it fascinating that the amount they had published, the length of time they’d been writing, and their level of success, had very little effect on their fears. Every single day, they confronted the same concern: Were they “good enough,” in comparison with “real writers,” to write the next line?
I began to ask some simple questions. What did being a “good” writer mean, and why did published writers sometimes not consider themselves “real” writers?
Eventually, after many years of study, a Masters’ degree focusing on writing resistance (another term for “writer’s block”), and a doctorate, in which I explored the reasons why people won’t, or can’t, allow themselves to write, I learned that most people, published or not, believe certain myths about writers.
These myths include the belief that writers are born, not made; that only some people are accomplished enough to be considered ‘real’ writers, and that ‘real’ writers work in isolation.
These beliefs have been around for a very long time, so if you believe any or all of them, you’re not alone. Most people have been taught to think that only a very few people are qualified to be considered “real” writers or authors. Authors are often held in such high esteem that they are akin to the gods, because we have imbued them with an almost mystical aura of reverence for their seemingly ‘divine’ talents.
I work with those who would like to write, but feel like they can’t or shouldn’t. It is my hope that everyone who wants to create and express themselves will be encouraged by what they find here in a collaborative environment, where the focus is on demythologizing the author’s role in society. This process will free us from the beliefs of the past that have undermined individual expression for far too long.
Please contact me if you have any questions, or you would like to get started writing, but don’t know where to begin. I am also available for webinars, online tutorials, in person seminars, and workshops.
It is the work of my lifetime, and my honor, to support your creative spirit.
On Skype: collaborativewriter
Email: collaborativewriter@gmail.com
Collaborative Writer on Facebook
My profile on Linkedin
Member of Pacific Northwest Writers Association
and
The International Association of Writers
Follow me on Twitter
Visit my Amazon storefront at Bottom of the Box Books
My book, Writing To Persuade is now available from Amazon
