The Writer's Crucible: Meditations on Emotion, Being, and Creativity

by Philip Kenney

Sold out

Account Type

Format

Quantity

Author: Philip Kenney

Publisher: Inkwater Press

Paperback:
ISBN 10: 1629015245
ISBN 13: 978-1629015248

The Writer’s Crucible provides a map for navigating the turbulent, emotional waters of a creative life. It does so by helping writers understand the psychology of vulnerability. Perhaps the most common vulnerability we face is the persistent sense of not being good enough. This troubling insecurity is often present in even the most successful writer, who, despite success, is subject to episodes of self-doubt that undermine creativity. To help authors manage this core experience, The Writer’s Crucible offers an in-depth exploration of the psychological underpinnings governing the internal narrative, “I am not enough.” That knowledge enables readers to begin undoing emotional constrictions and connect with an inner source of spiritual nourishment, allowing creative energies to move with greater freedom.

The Writer’s Crucible is not a book that tells you how to write—it is one that shows you how to be a writer.

Review

THE WRITER'S CRUCIBLE BY PHILIP KENNEY

★★★★★
Make no mistake: The Writer's Crucible is not a writing guide; it's a writer's guide. Perhaps the best part of Kenney's book is that it seeks to connect writers over a common problem--this nagging and unflagging feeling of not being good enough. Kenny encourages breaking down barriers not just when it comes to our own craft, but also in our day-to-day interactions with everyone we meet. The Writer's Crucible is an excellent tool for authors that encourages a return to human connectivity. Its message is strengthened by the book's meditative exercises, which ask you to set aside your sense of self and to think about your place in "the big picture."

The Red City Review

The Writer's Crucible: Meditations on Emotion, Being and Creativity offers a psychological examination of obstacles that thwart the creative processes.
Other creative writing books have addressed these issues; but Mr. Kenney's approach is different. It tackles self-reproach and the emotional challenges of putting pen to paper by discussing vulnerabilities from a psychotherapist's clinical viewpoint, providing assessments and insights that crack perfectionist tendencies and creativity-thwarting negativity.

The Writer's Crucible digs deep and promises no quick insights or exercise-based guarantees of success. Of course, this means that there are no easy answers or solutions. Writers anticipating a course of miraculous exercises that can magically unlock creative impulses will discover instead that This book is actually a call to action on many levels, advocating taking charge of one's spiritual, psychological and social self-discovery process.

The fact that The Writer's Crucible holds much more than exercises or mediations and addresses the heart of what keeps a writer from being effective and meaningful makes it a top recommendation for writers who struggle to achieve their best against the barriers of anxiety, self-deprecation, and fear.

Diane Donovan Senior Reviewer for The Midwest Book Review

From the Back Cover

The Writer's Crucible provides a detailed map for navigating the turbulent emotional waters of a creative life. Writers will come to understand the psychology of vulnerability, perhaps the most common of which is a persistent sense of not being good enough. This troubling insecurity is often present in even the most successful writers; they too are subject to undermining episodes of self-doubt. To help manage this core experience, The Writer's Crucible offers an in depth exploration of the psychological underpinnings governing the internal narrative, "I am not enough." Readers will learn to undo emotional constrictions and connect with an inner source of spiritual nourishment, allowing inspiration to move with greater freedom.

The Writer's Crucible is not a book that tells you how to write--it is one that shows you how to be a writer.

See all Editorial Reviews

Filters

Creativity & Genius

The Writer's Crucible: Meditations on Emotion, Being, and Creativity