{"id":30465,"date":"2026-04-24T03:00:53","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T10:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=30465"},"modified":"2026-04-22T04:19:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T11:19:44","slug":"overcoming-creative-shame-and-finishing-your-first-draft-by-bailey-lang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/04\/24\/overcoming-creative-shame-and-finishing-your-first-draft-by-bailey-lang\/","title":{"rendered":"Overcoming Creative Shame and Finishing Your First Draft by Bailey Lang"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-30466 size-full\" title=\"Overcoming Creative Shame and Finishing Your First Draft by Bailey Lang\" src=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Overcoming-Creative-Shame-and-Finishing-Your-First-Draft-by-Bailey-Lang.png\" alt=\"Overcoming Creative Shame and Finishing Your First Draft by Bailey Lang\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Overcoming-Creative-Shame-and-Finishing-Your-First-Draft-by-Bailey-Lang.png 300w, https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Overcoming-Creative-Shame-and-Finishing-Your-First-Draft-by-Bailey-Lang-80x80.png 80w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Let&#8217;s welcome back <a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?s=Bailey+Lang\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bailey Lang<\/a> as she shares with us \u201cOvercoming Creative Shame and Finishing Your First Draft.\u201d Enjoy!<\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<p>Writing the first draft of your book can be a daunting task, especially if you are a perfectionist.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The path from \u201cblank page\u201d to<\/strong> \u201cfinished manuscript\u201d is long and winding and full of perils &#8212; the haunting presence of impostor syndrome, the siren song of endless scrolling on your phone, the screech and roar of your inner critic.<\/p>\n<p>One of the biggest roadblocks to finishing the first draft of a book is the monster I like to call \u201ccreative shame.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>What is Creative Shame?<\/h2>\n<p>Creative shame is any \u201cshould\u201d we carry about our writing and our writing practices (\u201cI <i>should<\/i> be further along,\u201d \u201cI <i>should<\/i> be more disciplined,\u201d \u201cI <i>should<\/i> write every day.\u201d You know the drill, I\u2019m sure).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Any harshly self-critical narrative we bring<\/strong> to our writing practice that has a tendency to keep us from writing can generate creative shame.<\/p>\n<p>We pick up creative shame as we travel along our writing path, and it is <i>sticky<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some ways creative shame frequently shows up for writers, novice and expert alike.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A bad experience with an English teacher, editor, or critique partner &#8212; that nasty comment on a piece of writing that we still carry around and that pops up each time we approach our current manuscript.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Unkind internal narratives about things like \u201cdiscipline,\u201d \u201ctalent,\u201d and \u201cmotivation\u201d &#8212; all the ways we compare ourselves to an imaginary ideal writer and find ourselves lacking.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Negative, absolutist self-talk about our writing skill and practice &#8212; the ways we \u201calways\u201d mess up or \u201cnever\u201d get it right.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A fear of sharing our work with others, rooted in the belief that the draft is never quite \u201cgood enough.\u201d <i>Maybe one more revision, and <\/i>then<i> I\u2019ll let someone read it\u2026\u00a0<\/i><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Intense perfectionism that invites us to do things like critique and edit our drafts <i>while we\u2019re writing them<\/i>, jolting us out of creative flow and into insecurity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Creative shame, put simply, sucks.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s painful to experience and it keeps us stewing in old wounds and fears rather than striding boldly forward with the stories we are meant to share with readers.<\/p>\n<p>Experiencing creative shame can keep us from ever starting the first draft of the book we desperately want to write &#8212; or talk us into abandoning that draft partway through (this is the origin of \u201cshiny object syndrome,\u201d where a new idea pops up it\u2019s so tempting to let it take the place of whatever you\u2019re currently working on).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Getting trapped in a creative shame<\/strong> spiral can also keep us from sharing the work we <i>do<\/i> manage to finish, because we believe it will never be good enough.<\/p>\n<p>Or, if we muster up the courage to send something out, we end up feeling like critiques and rejections are personal attacks.<\/p>\n<p>We get defensive instead of approaching feedback like an opportunity to grow.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps the most important thing to know about creative shame is that <b>it does not work<\/b> for creating positive behavioral change in our writing practices.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I have coached many writers who<\/strong>, speaking from a place of shame, have been trying to brute force a better writing practice based on every \u201cshould\u201d they can think of and can\u2019t understand why it isn\u2019t helping.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is that shame doesn\u2019t result in positive change.<\/p>\n<p>Creative shame keeps us small and tells us we don\u2019t deserve joy in our writing practices until we accomplish some out-of-reach goal or adopt an impossible habit.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A path to sustainable<\/strong>, enjoyable writing that is not!<\/p>\n<p>Shame also convinces us to isolate ourselves.<\/p>\n<p>It can be hard to acknowledge how bad a shame-driven writing practice feels, or admit to the nasty things we say to ourselves each time we sit down to try to write.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The more isolated we get<\/strong>, the less access we have to the support and resources we need to promote our creativity and grow our skills.<\/p>\n<p>The shame spiral gets deeper and harder to escape.<\/p>\n<p>Yuck, right?<\/p>\n<p>So, what can we do about it?<\/p>\n<p><strong>How do we beat the monster of creative shame<\/strong> and rebuild a healthy, sustainable writing practice?<\/p>\n<h2>Overcoming Creative Shame<\/h2>\n<p>Creative shame withers in the bright light of critical appraisal and supportive rituals.<\/p>\n<p>Here are two activities you can use to start recognizing and combating creative shame so that you can return to your writing practice with confidence.<\/p>\n<h3>Critical Appraisal: The Shame Detective<\/h3>\n<p>Creative shame likes to be the loudest voice in the room.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It wants to dominate the conversation<\/strong> and keep you in place &#8212; and it absolutely does not want you to ask any critical questions about what it\u2019s telling you.<\/p>\n<p>Enter the Shame Detective.<\/p>\n<p>Pick your favorite detective from literature &#8212; maybe the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher, Sherlock Holmes, or Encyclopedia Brown &#8212; and break out your magnifying glass.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s time to turn the tables<\/strong> on your creative shame.<\/p>\n<p>When you notice that you\u2019re caught in a shame spiral, start by asking yourself two questions:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">What evidence do I have <b>for<\/b> this belief?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">What evidence do I have <b>against<\/b> this belief?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The first question gives you a chance to assess what truth might be tucked away in the narrative creative shame is trying to spin.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What helpful nugget can you glean from that story?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Where has shame taken over something true or useful that you can work with, rather than beat yourself up about?<\/p>\n<p>The second question puts all your detective skills to work and asks you to look for evidence and other clues about what\u2019s going on beneath the surface.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Odds are really high that you<\/strong> are not the abject, miserable failure your creative shame wants you to think you are &#8212; and mustering the evidence can help you interrupt that shame and tell a stronger, truer story about your writing practice.<\/p>\n<p>Gather the hard facts.<\/p>\n<p>Then, follow up this exercise with a final question: How can I <b>practice self-care<\/b> and <b>tell a more complete story?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Self-care is a critical component of defeating creative shame, because shame tells us we don\u2019t deserve nice things &#8212; and facing our shame head-on can be difficult!<\/p>\n<p>What restorative practice can you engage in to refill your cup?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Finally, telling a more complete story is<\/strong> the counter-narrative to creative shame\u2019s bullying.<\/p>\n<p>Remind yourself of the truth and pull out your factual evidence: your shame isn\u2019t telling the whole story.<\/p>\n<p>Over time, creative shame will start to give way to reality.<\/p>\n<h3>Supportive Ritual: Shame Release Activity<\/h3>\n<p>As you continue to claim the role of Shame Detective, you\u2019ll reach a point where you\u2019re ready to let go of some old shame-based story.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Maybe there\u2019s an old wound<\/strong> that you realize has healed, or an internal narrative you\u2019re ready to stop repeating.<\/p>\n<p>Creating a symbolic gesture of release can help you banish old ghosts and welcome fresh new energy into your writing mindset and practice.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, customizing your own ritual is a lot of fun!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s how it can work<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Choose an aspect of creative shame that you feel ready to release<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Write it down on a piece of paper<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Symbolically destroy the shame in whatever way feels right to you. You could scribble, paint, or collage over top of it. You might tear the paper into tiny pieces and bury them at the bottom of the trash. You could even burn the paper (while practicing appropriate fire safety!).<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">On another piece of paper, replace that story of shame with a neutral observation or positive affirmation, depending on what feels true for your journey right now.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Keep that paper with your writing supplies or hang it somewhere you\u2019ll see it regularly.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Repeat as needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Ongoing Combat with Creative Shame<\/h2>\n<p>Becoming the Shame Detective and practicing rituals of release are two great tools for dealing with creative shame.<\/p>\n<p><strong>However, it\u2019s a tenacious monster<\/strong>, and it will find a way to slink back into your writing practice now and again.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most powerful ways you can continue to defeat creative shame is by finding a community of fellow writers.<\/p>\n<p>Connecting with other people on the same path can serve as a useful reminder that you are not alone in facing a mindset challenge like creative shame &#8212; and community is a powerful antidote to shame-driven isolation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Joining (or starting!) a writing group<\/strong> at your local library is an excellent strategy for making in-person connections.<\/p>\n<p>You could also join a virtual writing group, sign up for a writing class, or hire a book coach to connect with mentors and peers who can help you on your journey.<\/p>\n<p>Creative shame does not get to defeat you!<\/p>\n<p><strong>With some handy tools in your pocket<\/strong> and friends by your side, you\u2019ll find the path back to a writing practice that feels magical and enjoyable once more.<\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<h2>About the Author<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bailey-Lang.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-29591\" title=\"Bailey Lang\" src=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bailey-Lang-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Bailey Lang\" width=\"226\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bailey-Lang-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bailey-Lang-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bailey-Lang-640x426.jpg 640w, https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bailey-Lang.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><\/a>Dr. Bailey Lang is the <a href=\"https:\/\/literary-witch.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Literary Witch<\/a>, a book coach who helps visionary authors reclaim their creative magic and finish their books.<\/p>\n<p>Bailey has a PhD in rhetoric and writing studies and they love geeking out about writing, language, and magic.<\/p>\n<p>You can sign up for Bailey\u2019s free newsletter, <a href=\"https:\/\/literary-witch.kit.com\/profile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ink + Alchemy<\/a>, for monthly missives that will help you build a writing practice you love.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/usethewritingdesk.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/usethewritingdesk.kit.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overcoming Creative Shame and Finishing Your First Draft helps writers recognize shame, build confidence, and complete their manuscripts. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":30466,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[6638,6431,5223,726,7216,9,7774,759,2244,5068,47,4261,156,2590,7,7776,2155,7771,7773,7775,7772,17,14],"class_list":["post-30465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-writing-tips","tag-activities","tag-bailey-lang","tag-blank-page","tag-coaching","tag-connection","tag-creativity","tag-critical-appraisal","tag-discipline","tag-feedback","tag-finishing","tag-first-draft","tag-imposter-syndrome","tag-inner-critic","tag-manuscript","tag-motivation","tag-ongoing-combat","tag-practice","tag-shame","tag-skill","tag-supportive-ritual","tag-talent","tag-writers","tag-writing-practice"],"yoast_head":"<!-- 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