Tonight author and hypnotist Maggie Dubris will attempt to hypnotize an audience at KGB Bar in Manhattan, revealing how hypnosis can help authors beat writer’s block and write better. Besides teaching creative people the benefits of hypnosis, Dubris is the author of “Skels” and the book-length poem, “WillieWorld.”
GalleyCat caught up with the hypnotism expert to find out how to beat writer’s block. “I teach writers how to go into hypnosis. I give them CDs I’ve made that address pretty common issues for writers,” she explained. “Perfectionism issues, troubles getting started, or the feeling that you’re going to write something terrible–these feelings are pretty easy to deal with in hypnosis.”
She explained that writing is a hypnotic activity: “The actual creative, inspired sense, when you lose track of the world while writing–that’s a state of light hypnosis.” She concluded with thoughts about inferiority and perfectionism: “It’s really easy to say, ‘I suck at writing,’ but it’s really hard to say ‘I’m a good writer.’ You need to be conscious of the negative suggestions you may be giving yourself. Your subconscious responds to hyperbole.”