If you think I’m writing to you – I am. Let’s address the 4 things you’re afraid of.
Writing is something lots of people dream of doing.
While the process comes easier to some of us than to others – that doesn’t mean it doesn’t scare you.
I’ve known lots of would-be writers who are afraid to write for one reason or another. It might be fear of being seen, fear of failure, concern about the impression it can and will make on people, uncertainty, and other factors that stay their hand.
For all writers – would-be or active – being afraid is part and parcel of the act. The question is – do you let being afraid stop you or do you push through and past your fear?
There are several reasons why you might be afraid to write. They include fearing it won’t be any good; concern that you’ll cause people to think differently about you; fears of failure and success; self-worth, doubt, and other intangibles.
Let me assure you – you are utterly, totally, and complete not alone in this. Writers at every level – hell, artists of every kind at every level – go through this.
Why? Because what you create is deeply personal. Even if you share your creation – it’s a part of you being put forth into the world.
Let’s take a closer look at what you are afraid of that stops you from writing.
You fear it will be no good
I think this is probably the most common issue would-be writers and artists face.
What if what I create is bad? Or worse, terrible? What if it’s so bad that everyone loses all respect for me? What if I lose all respect for myself?
If you allow any of the above to stay your hand and keep you from creating – the question is moot. If you don’t write it – you’ll never know, will you?
Sure, what you create might be horrible. But it might also lead to better creations later.
I wrote my first sci-fi novel at age 9. It’s not very good. The one I wrote at 13 is a bit better. But also, not good. I started my fantasy series The Source Chronicles somewhere around 1998. I think it’s pretty good – and I have published the first 2 books in the series. But since the creation and edits of these books – my writing skills have gotten better.
Additionally, I write 5 blogs a week. I’ve written at least 1 blog a week since 2012. Looking back at my earliest articles – yeah, they’re not as good as what I write now.
Even now – writing 5 articles a week – some of them aren’t so good. Some don’t resonate with people, while some I know are not my best work. However – the act is worthwhile to me.
Not everything I write is good. I’ve written plenty of crap. Some were even shared publicly. But all that I write makes me better. Thus, next time – there will be improvement.
I am not afraid to write because of fear that it will be no good. But that wasn’t always so.
You are afraid of the impression it might make on others
This one is a doozy. And it can be especially pernicious. When you write and share your work – it’s going to make an impression on people.
And people can be judgmental, capricious, and inconsistent. What if what you create makes them think differently of you? Or worse – lose respect for you?
Truth be told – this might happen. That’s because you and I can do nothing about how anyone feels, or what they think. That’s wholly on them. If they see a side of you that they were not aware of before – and disrespect you or otherwise alter your relationship because of this – you can’t do anything about it.
There are things I write but don’t share – in part because of how the impression it might make on others – but more often because there are private things I write for my own edification. There have been multiple angry letters written to people over the years to release the feelings they’d caused to arise in me. Rather than stew on them – I wrote them out to get them out of my head, heart, and soul.
Everyone has a dark side. Yes, for some it’s only a little grey and dim. But for others, it’s truly dark. Disturbing. Unnerving. And letting it out can be terrifying.
What if that goes into your writing? Let’s be honest – horror writers channel their dark sides. But the majority are good people who would never do anything their characters do.
You might share a part of you through your art that might distress people. But it can take very little to set someone off. So being afraid to write because of the impression it might make on others might be worth reconsidering.
You don’t write due to fear of failure/fear of success
These are truly opposite sides of the same coin.
Most people are familiar with the fear of failure. But fear of success can appear counterintuitive.
Both come with the same potential to alienate people, change your life experience, and utterly alter your status quo. They both can yank you out of your comfort zone and send your life to places you are uncertain about and unsure of.
With both success and failure, the fears tend to be the same. Pain, loss, abandonment, anxiety. If you write and you fail – people might think you a loser, you might look stupid, and they might abandon you.
If you write and succeed – people might think you have fundamentally changed. You might come across as arrogant, and they might abandon you.
Truth is – you don’t need to create to have these things happen. But when you don’t write, create, or whatnot – you can’t fail or succeed. You stagnate. And whatever you are afraid of – it loses all meaning if it didn’t come to pass anyhow.
To quote Yoda,
“The greatest teacher, failure is.”
Like failure, success is a chance to learn. But you won’t know if you don’t act. Don’t be afraid to write because you might fail – or succeed.
You are afraid of other intangibles
Finally – you might be afraid to write because of some other intangible. It might just be a matter of self-worth, general doubt, anxiety, uncertainty – or such.
Whatever the case might be – you’re afraid to write, and not writing because. To be perfectly fair – you might not know the why of it.
It could be all the above-mentioned reasons and/or some combination therein.
I think it should go without saying – but I will say it anyhow – if you don’t have a desire to write – this probably doesn’t apply to you. However – if being afraid for any of the above reasons keeps you from creating – art, food, fashion, stories, whatever – this applies.
Recognizing what you are afraid of that stays your hand, stagnates, and/or immobilizes you is the first step to getting past it. And when you do – that opens the way for a life that can be much more in your control and under your direction.
No – this is not easy. But most of what is worth having in life isn’t so easy. Getting more comfortable with being uncomfortable goes a long way toward gaining greater life experiences.
We each get one shot in these meat-popsicles we call our bodies. Why should being afraid of intangibles prevent us from sharing ourselves and our gifts? The answer is why the question matters as it does.
Why are you afraid to write (create) and not writing (creating)? If you desire to write (create), choose to recognize the fears, address and/or push through to make it happen.
You are worthy and deserving of having this. Don’t be afraid – create what your heart and soul desire.
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