Today is IWSG Day! Author Alex J. Cavanaugh is the founder. Alex realized that the writing community offered an abundance of support and needed it too. This IWSG group acts as a form of therapy, letting writers post about situations where they need encouragement, or to offer words of encouragement to others.
The awesome co-hosts for the May 7 posting of the IWSG are Feather Stone, Janet Alcorn, Rebecca Douglass, Jemima Pett, and Pat Garcia!
May 7 question – Some common fears writers share are rejection, failure, success, and lack of talent or ability. What are your greatest fears as a writer? How do you manage them?
After reading Feather Stone‘s response to the question, I deleted my post. She said it all. If you don’t love your writing, surrender … and then I read Pat Garcia, and I added my post back. Why not be honest and vulnerable. After all, that’s who I am.
My truest, easiest answer to this month’s thought-provoking question is …
My greatest fear is me and I’ve been writing and publishing for fifty years.
Still, my fear is:
Making wrong decisions.
Publishing a horrible story with a big gaping hole in the plot.
Looking stupid to the entire writing and publishing community.
Proving to everyone I have no talent.
Being so successful that I have to promote.
Being so Unsuccessful that I have to promote.
Having to promote when I feel like an imposter.
Having to defend my work when sharks appear.
Being challenged by anyone and everything about anything and everything.
So I do nothing and there in lies the problem.
I do nothing.
Now and then I have a burst of boldness and submit a piece, query or do something out of the ordinary. I force myself…to be brave. Professional. As if I know what I’m doing.
That’s how I became a contributor to Southern Writers Magazine. A whisk of boldness overtook me and I responded to the publisher’s call. I was certain she’d reject me but she didn’t. In spite of my insecurities, I lasted for almost seven years.
And that’s how I became Director of a professional writing department at a regional college—overseeing courses for writers. I had to be asked three times before I accepted. I was certain I couldn’t do it—but I did.
I can cite other opportunities that came my way because of a “few and far between spurts” of boldness. I know I’m my worst enemy when it comes to writing and publishing. Oh, how I admire all of you brave writers out there. I wish I could throw caution to the wind and just do what I want to do, when I want to do it, and how I want to do it.
Manage?
I don’t manage. I wait for that spurt of boldness to penetrate my brain and move me forward.
I act on it before it disappears.
And then…
And then…
I wait to be shot down.
But let me encourage each of you to write, to act, to chase after those dreams. Don’t live in hesitation, questioning yourself as if sitting in a courtroom before a jury. Be bold–always.
And never give up.
Thank you. Being vulnerable, you have encouraged me. Brené Brown would be proud.
Thanks Larry!
I think one of my biggest fears is that my writing, and by association, I, will be forgotten. Never read. Deleted. That’s why, now that I’m getting older, I forced myself to figure out a way to get a book published. I was so intimidated by the process. So reluctant for so many years to self-publish. But I wanted there to be something of me, other than my DNA (and even that is no guarantee at this point), out in the world. Something people can hold. With my name on it.
Angie, you seem fearless to me. Anyone who can ride a bike in traffic can do anything!
Wise words,, painful truths too.
Why are writers so horrible to themselves . meaning why am I ?
Writer cousin, mystified too. Far fewer people tell artists they can’t paint.
,
Amen, Esther! We are horrible to ourselves, aren’t we?
I love this. I love it all. You are so normal! We just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, taking chances when they turn up…just like putting one word after the other when the writing gets tough. And I’m so glad you put your post back up.
And I’m with Angie Kay – being forgotten. Maybe that is why I write – to leave something of me in the world… or of my favourite characters, who are more important.
Thanks Jemima, Putting one word after another gets harder and harder! But what else do I have to do. 🙂
You have more talent than you realize. And you are bold. Convincing your writing group to fly in a small publisher from NC? Now that was really bold. (But so glad you did – best writing conference EVER!)
You’re way too sweet and generous. You were an inspiration long before I met you and you still are!