"Dennis Palumbo has great insight into a writer s psyche.... Every writer should have a shrink or this book. The book is cheaper."
-Gary Shandling, actor, comic, and writer "wise, compassionate, and funny..."
-Aram Saroyan, poet and novelist
"Dennis Palumbo provides a sense of community in the isolation of writing, of knowing that we are not alone on this uncharted and privileged journey. He shows us that our shared struggles, fears, and triumphs are the very soul of the art and craft of writing."
-Bruce Joel Rubin, screenwriter, GhostandDeepImpact
Writer's block. Procrastination. Loneliness. Doubt. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Just plain...fear. What does it mean if you struggle with these feelings on a daily basis?It means you re a writer. Written with a unique empathy and deep insight by someone who is both a fellow writer and a noted psychotherapist, Writing from the Inside Out sheds light on the inner life of the writer and shows you positive new ways of thinking about your art and yourself. Palumbo touches on subjects ranging from writer s envy to rejection, from the loneliness of solitude to the joy of craft. Most of all, he leads you to the most empowering revelation of all that you are enough. Everything you need to navigate the often tumultuous terrain of the writer s path and create your best work is right there inside you.
Foreword ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction 1
Part One THE WRITING LIFE
Writer's Block 15
Your "Baby" 19
Inspiration 23
The Buddy System 26
It's Alive! 29
Your "Precious Darlings" 32
Writing Begets Writing 35
Part Two YOU ARE ENOUGH
Simple, but Not Easy 45
What Really Happened. . . . 49
"For I Have Done Good Work" 53
On the Couch 57
"You're No John Updike!" 61
Part Three GRIST FOR THE MILL
Envy 69
Faith and Doubt 72
Fear 75
The Judge 79
Double-Barreled Blues 82
Myths, Fairy Tales, and Woody Allen 86
The Long View 91
Part Four THE REAL WORLD
The Pitch 101
Rejection 105
That Sinking Feeling 108
Reinventing Yourself 112
Deadline Dread 115
Three Hard Truths 119
Part Five PAGE FRIGHT
Gumption Traps 127
Procrastination 130
Patience 134
Perspective 138
In Praise of Goofing Off 141
Writing about Dogs 145
Going the Distance 148
Part Six THE REAL WORLD, PART II
Agents 159
Home of the Heart 163
The Unknown 167
Lately, I Don't Like the Things I Love 171
Ageism 175
Part Seven HANGING ON
Commitment 185
News Flash: Writing Is Hard! 189
Burnout: A Modest Proposal 193
A Writer's Library 197
A Stillness That Characterizes Prayer 201
Part Eight DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT
Phone Call from Paradise 211
The Idea Man 216
I've Come a Long Way on Paper 220
Loneliness 223
Larry: A True Story 226
Conclusion 239
