Navel-gazing

Okay! In Incan's critiques, you'll find a lot of references to navel gazing. So what is this?

Well, technically, it's staring at your belly button. That's very technical. So what does it actually mean?

Hahaha...

Navel-gazing, to put it politely, means that you are too wrapped into yourself to see beyond the greater world. For example, if I write poetry that talks about me, me me, without talking about anything else, that is navel-gazing. If I write a story about me, me, me, then that would be navel-gazing. And mind you, this isn't just a piece that includes you, you, you, all the time. The subject never deviates from you! So it just continues and goes on and on until you want to strangle a writer.

This, believe it or not, is a bad thing.

So! What can you do to solve this? The obvious answer is "grow up" but that may seem slightly condescending to everyone. So, instead, you have to look at things in a more mature manner. Writing all day and all night, is sure to make you go insane, especially if that's all you do. Believe me... I've been in that place before. I wanted to become a great novelist and I would write the greatest piece in the world! I have since given that dream up. But living indoors for no real reason is probably a bad thing. Meet people, listen, go out and live.

You see, writers can be very self-absorbed, but if you realize that there is more than just you through living life, then your writing is bound to be better.

Hope that helps!

Thanks, now that I think about it i do that in my poetry. Thank you for the help.

you know snoink, I liked this, until I realized it was telling me to get out of my house and do stuff....


*doesn't leave house, ever* I'm antisocial, what can I say? Though, I am not a navel-gazer! (Or, am I?)

What can you do to solve this? The obvious answer is "grow up" but that may seem slightly condescending to everyone.

I'd tell them to grow up anyway, cause...they should!

I'm with Clau. Going out of the house is not a good thing **hides under bed**

Not that I'm agoraphobic or anything. But yeah. Outside is not a fun place for me. Do I navel-gaze? Probably. Fortunately I dont inflict my work on others much anymore, LOL

AH! You should go outside! Out! Out! Out!

*beats with stick*

Haha. Actually, if you really listen to conversations, you'll find that most of the time people talk about themselves.

People feel really good when you start talking about THEM instead.

I'm sure writing does the same.

got to disagree Crysi, people don't feel so good if you start calling them names. its still talking about them, but not exactly in the way they want you to.

and no, i wont leave the house either. im happy sitting here, eyes slowly deteriorating from looking at one screen or another for too long... its how i like things, blurry.

I don't leave the house. Ever. I sit here in my room creepily, NaNoing at the speed of light, noveling at the rate of a snail...



Thanks for this, though. T'was amusing.

It is something I WISH I could do. But I always am hesitant to talk about other people, i'm always afraid of being wrong and offending somebody. But I do do it in my poetry, but thats because when I write poetry its just because I was in spired, like my most recent one "Magic 8 Ball" it was about me, but because thats just how it came out.

In my opinion we do do that too much, and I am confined to my house way too often, I just wish that I a) had more friends b)had more places to go that inspired me.
*Bangs head on desk* I'm like peter pan, I can't grow up. lol

I have a hard time getting out of the house because I would much rather sit in my room and write, but I do find that getting out of the house does improve my writing. It does indeed minimize the navel-gazing. And it keeps me inspired.

Getting out of the house gives one ways to eavesdrop and people watch. Good ways to come up with ideas.

Hehe, i've learnt something new today Is it fair to say that sometimes you have to be navel-gazing into one of your own characters, like completely focus on them to get to know them and create them. I feel that sometimes i completely focus on one character just to establish his/her personality.

Well, I like going places, but I'm rather a couch potato extrordinaire.

I have difficulty with making polite conversation when people come visiting, and my mum told me, "Ask about themselves!" That puts them at their ease, and it opens windows for new topics about what they do, if they don't know much about what you do.



Sound advice, I thought, as well as your's Snoink. The thing is, my stomach stretches out so far forward, it's all I can see for the next twenty yards.

-Twit

I'll try....... >.<








And believe me, it WILL be hard for me to get out from my SANCTUARY, my SHELL

dark_horizon93 wrote:I'll try....... >.<








And believe me, it WILL be hard for me to get out from my SANCTUARY, my SHELL

But think of all the writing material you'll stumble on!