Difficult writing challenge: Guilt/Shame.

[Dragonwriter]

Okay, so first time poster disclaimer: please tell me if I'm being an idiot about any protocols on this forum that I might not know about and I'll do my best to fix it.

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I find myself facing a difficult proposition as a writer.  I'm trying to write a story that I feel very passionate about, but I'm stuck on a part and having great difficulty getting myself into the proper mindset to tackle it. I wouldn't call it writer's block, because I classify writer's block as "the words just aren't coming." That's not really the case here. Instead, it's a matter of having great difficulty going back to a place that, mentally, I REALLY don't like to be in. However, it is absolutely vital to my tale that I write this part of the story; the character will not be believable without the knowledge of said included events.

Okay, so enough dancing around the matter. The core of the issue is a scene, or short series of scenes, in which my main character, because of actions he has taken, is for lack of a better term "shamed" by the entirety of his community. He does deserve it, for the most part, and it ends up being a very important character-building experience for him; something that leads him to come to certain conclusions that make him the character I like so much. The tale then calls for him, after his community takes the act too far, to stand up for himself.

But the difficulty is this: of all the emotional states that humans can experience, the emotion of shame is easily and always the hardest to face (or at least I believe so). Guilt and self-loathing are meant to be the fires that shape the character's conviction, resulting in the end in a very observant, philosophically-minded paladin-like character who is driven by a strong desire to do good based off of his personal knowledge and experience of the darkest of human natures. However, the act of writing about his punishment, of putting myself in a mental state of guilt, shame, and submission, is very difficult and uncomfortable for me to do.

Any advice/thoughts/ideas/observations/comments?

Honestly, anything at all would be helpful.

[Necroben]

...the act of writing about his punishment, of putting myself in a mental state of guilt, shame, and submission, is very difficult and uncomfortable for me to do.

Well, the first thing I would do is focus on how uncomfortable it is, and use it as a catalyst in your own story.  You may also want to try writing the scene several times, experimenting with body language.  The writing group I’m in (shameless plug) Reading Excuses, has advised me that the use of body language is an extremely important tool.  It might also help you visualize your character's own emotion a little better.

It might also help to look into some of the clinical aspects of guilt and shame as well.  It could give you some great ideas as to the physical effects one could suffer from such powerful emotions.

That’s all I can think of for now, hope it helps.

Edit:  http://clinicalphilosophy.blogspot.com/2008/03/shame-and-body.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shame

[Renoard]

This might seem trite, but it seems to me that free writing about your own emotional reactions to the "shame" might help you to pull out some nuggets of introspection you could use in the character's stream of consciousness.  Wow that was long winded of me. Sometimes the basics help us get through tough exercises. Do it by the numbers then go back and rewrite till it feels more like what you want.

Something else to consider: If you are identifying with the character you are writing and you are conflicted and angry such that you can't write him or her as submissive to the community, maybe your character would benefit from some of your own conflict and resentment. Maybe grudging submission garnered out of bile and bitterness is the way the character works through this issue and eventually finds peace and the strength to defend against abuse?

All I know is your question has me intrigued and wanting to read your story.