A Job for the I.C.
After finishing another line edit of my 401-page novel manuscript, I emailed a friend to share the sense of celebration. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve reread and edited that manuscript, and she’s heard me celebrate every time. She’s listened to years of struggle and hard work on this novel, so it’s no wonder that her reply had a certain amount of wonderment. “I can't get over the patience and discipline you have to have throughout this process! Yikes. How are you able to do this with fresh eyes???” It was a very good question, and it made me realize something important about The Inner Critic.
Echoing Faces
Whether I’m painting or writing, I inevitably come to moments in the creative process when I have to evaluate what I’m doing before I can go further. At those times, a serious artist has to be demanding. I’ve learned when a text needs to be improved. I know when I need to risk pushing an image or a surface beyond a comfort zone. I also know when I’m being lazy (if I’m honest with myself, I can hear a little voice in my head say, “I’m tired, that’s good enough”). To create a body of work I can feel proud of, I have to stand up to a level of scrutiny within myself that equals the keen eye of a real critic. That is the time when I put “the inner critic” to work.
’m not talking about unleashing the demeaning echo of someone from my past. The working inner critic needs to be an educated and honest evaluator. The Inner Critic I’m talking about has to be part of the ‘higher self’. It is the voice that challenges me to raise the level of my work.
Athletes exhibit that type of “inner critic” when they push themselves beyond past accomplishments. Often in sports, the coach plays the role of Inner Critic. In fact, a good coach can command a high salary because s/he has integrity and a reputation for being fair, tough, and knowledgeable. Even if s/he is harsh and pushy, it’s understood that their demands are for the good of the athlete and the team. The paradox of that role is this: The voice I’m talking about nags you out of a belief in your abilities, not out of a need to belittle or dissuade you.
So, how does an Inner Critic develop integrity? It will only have as much integrity as you give it. A good inner critic needs to be educated and cultivated. If you are a visual artist, study art history, attend gallery and museum exhibitions, and build a community of artists with whom you can develop a dialog about the work. If you’re a musician, listen to other musicians, attend concerts, and read a lot of music reviews. If you’re a writer, read a wide range of authors, write every day, and again, build a dialog in community with other writers. Attend classes and lectures. Read current critical thought in your field. It is every individual’s responsibility to educate the critic within. Only when you’ve done your homework, can you trust that inner voice.
A constructive inner critic does not say “I like that” or “I don’t like that”. If that’s all you’re hearing, it is a voice of ignorance and judgment, and it’s probably someone’s non-productive voice from the past. Let your Inner Critic ask you questions. This is where my coach training and my work as an artist come together (for myself and for clients): both depend on asking good questions. A good question provokes thought, inspires risk-taking, and engages the dynamics of the creative process.
Success in the arts and in sports is the result of perseverance. Let your “inner critic” become an asset, and you’ll drown out all the foreign critics that slow you down.