'A person with a mesmeric and controlling influence' - who could that be for most (every) writer(s)? 

When the word 'Svengali' popped up in a TV show last week, immediately I thought how little you hear it day-to-day and it's an interesting word, but also that it's the perfect description for the 'inner critic' or 'internal editor' undermining your writing (or other creative work) whenever you start to feel good about yourself.

Oh, is that just me?

I thought not.

Recognising when your inner critic is playing hoopla with your insecurities is often enough to fend off the worst of the damage; a bit like recognising and naming your emotions can help you to take control of them. (Yes, that's a thing.)

I quite like the idea of naming an emotion like 'anger' something harmless and charming like 'Fred' or 'Ginger', or perhaps 'Snowy', after my first pet rabbit (imaginative name, I know).

But I feel with something as insidious as The Inner Critic, the name must be charged with stronger connotations than a fluffy rabbit to adequately dissuade and guard against the drip-feed of self-sabotage.

'Svengali' fits the bill, epitomising and becoming of itself. Voila.