Fear is a fight-or-flight response, a negative sensation, or a panic reaction induced by the perception of threat.
Studies indicate that we’re born with only two fears: the fear of loud noises and the fear of falling.
All the rest are acquired from events from the past that we’ve associated with danger. Or the possibility of something going wrong in the future that we’ve determined will be too difficult to handle.
As writers, we do realise that our fears are not about survival. There is no danger lurking around in the background. They are no Velociraptors out there waiting to kill us.
Yet, we cannot make the fears go away.
They stop us in our tracks, refuse to let us create, and crush our dreams.
Fears are totally detrimental to our creative lives.
In this blog, we’ll look at some of these fears, how they affect us, and how to deal with them.
When we learn to identify and acknowledge our fears, learn to navigate them and mitigate them through action, we can achieve some breakthroughs that can really allow our creative lives to thrive.
Most of us obsess about something that’s out of our control because that’s easier to do than actually create something.
But, creativity thrives on action, not inaction.
So, the more we put into action, the more steps we take towards our goals, the more these fears can fall away and allow us to have the calmness and the ability to deal with them.
Some of these fears stem from our childhood. We may have been told as children that we can’t do anything or that we’re not gifted or talented or that being an artist is a waste of time because it doesn’t pay the bills, it doesn’t secure our future.
You may have believed these lies because you grew up thinking that the people who told you these things loved you and wanted the best for you.
But sadly, you’ve also let these lies squash the writer within you and let him die
Worse, you’ve developed fears that can crush your desires and your childhood dreams to become whatever you wanted to be.
Instead, what if we wrote all those fears down on a page?
Asked ourselves what we would gain by not doing the work?
Make a deal to do it anyway by taking care of the quantity and leaving aside thoughts of the quality.
What if we learnt to work with what we have rather than languishing over what we have not?
Let’s do a deep dive into the fears afflicting writers and how to overcome them.
How to overcome the fear of writing
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1. Fear of inadequacy
The niggling feeling of lack or not being gifted/talented enough or plain old “I’m not good enough” afflicts all writers at all stages, and at some point or the other no matter how many books they’ve written.
You always believe that you can never be the kind of writer that you admire.
Some of these fears could have come from being ignored in childhood or having your artistic urges suppressed.
You may have been made to believe that a career in arts is outside the social and economic reality of your family. Or, writing doesn’t pay the bills.
Sometimes, you may feel like an imposter. You feel vulnerable and insecure.
Whether you believe you’re talented or not, remember that talent is only a small part of any craft.
Writing can be taught.
Most writers are also plain hard workers. They have put in hours and hours of practice, none of which is visible to someone looking at them from the outside.
Steps you can take to overcome the fear of inadequacy
Protect that child-like artist within. Nurture that child.
Take baby steps.
Stop judging your early efforts and think of it as marathon training.
Let it be awkward, embarrassing, intimidating at first. Be willing to be a bad writer.
Uncover all your negative beliefs and fears related to writing by listing them down on a piece of paper. Then flip them around into positive beliefs or affirmations that will strengthen your purpose.
Positive self-talk will slowly but surely pull you out of your negative beliefs.
Well-known author, Malcolm Gladwell says it takes 10,000 hours of practice and that the 10,000-Hour Rule is the key to achieving success and world-class expertise in any skill.
So, practice, practice, practice. There are no shortcuts to learning and improving your writing.
Let nobody brainwash you into believing that you can’t write or don’t have the talent.
2. Fear of the Unknown
Do you feel that you don’t have anything to say?
Or, do you freeze when you see a blank page?
Not knowing how to start or what to say is the fear that causes writer’s block.
If you believe that you have nothing to say or your book is not original enough, then that can cripple you into never starting at all.
You then avoid doing anything or procrastinate because you’ve pre-determined a negative outcome. You feel blocked.
One of the reasons for having this fear could be perfectionism or trying to always get it right.
Or thinking that somebody else has the advantage or has the opportunities that you don’t.
Then, you lose trust in yourself and your abilities.
You let yourself think of the impossible task looming ahead of you and it overwhelms you so much that you put it off rather than taking it on.
Steps you can take to overcome the fear of the unknown
Changing your perspective can change your problem. It’s like flipping a switch.
Every end is also a new beginning, isn’t it?
Focus on what lies just ahead and do it anyway.
The key to resiliency is self-empowerment and choice.
Take action.
A page that has words on it is easier to deal with than a blank page. So, fill up a blank page with words that come to mind.
Write down the very idea that you’re afraid of writing.
Who cares if it’s an original idea or not! It’s your perspective on the idea that matters. That is unique only to you.
James Scott Bell says, “Channel your anxiety by writing something you were afraid of writing before.”
Sometimes, I write badly and I let it be.
Let creativity be its own reward.
Let it not stop you from creating because you’re not yet perfect. You will never be that!
3. Fear of Judgement
Judgement by others or self can be the greatest roadblock when it comes to writing.
Self-doubt and the feeling that your book is not good enough can make it feel like the writing is not worth it.
You let your fears get the better of you and never try.
You fear ridicule, you put yourself down and doubt yourself.
Perhaps, others have told you that what you do is a waste of time.
Or, your loved ones tell you they need you for more important things.
Or, that you have more important things to do than be frivolous and do something you enjoy.
Steps you can take to overcome the fear of judgement
Remember all you need to do is to show up on the page.
Set small and gentle goals.
Your job is to do the work and not judge it.
Put yourself before others and not let others be the judge for what’s important and fulfilling to you.
When faced with judgement or doubt, take one action to support you as a writer.
4. Fear of Rejection
There are times when we fear rejection or criticism.
Failure or success becomes a barometer for the value in life.
You feel hopeless, limited, guilty that you will never be good enough.
Shame kicks in when you read a negative review or you feel so angry that you want to give up.
You wonder why you put yourself through the torture or inflicted the torment on yourself.
Steps you can take to overcome the fear of rejection
Learn what criticism is appropriate and from whom.
Remember that you can’t please everyone.
Harry Potter was rejected 12 times before it finally got published.
If the criticism is not constructive, you can’t learn from it. So, ignore it.
If it is useless, a personal attack, or a blanket/general criticism, it cannot help you improve.
Receive it and get over it.
Do something nurturing for yourself afterwards.
Get back on the horse.
Creativity is the cure for a broken heart.
Write a letter to your critic that you do not mail but you pour out why you disagree with their thoughts.
Let it get out of your system and then move on.
Focusing only on fame or success creates a continual feeling of lack.
It erodes the joy of what we have now, discredits our accomplishments, and eats away at our joy at another’s accomplishments.
Surround yourself with people who will nurture and support you, cheer you on.
To sum up, being aware that you have a fear of writing is half the battle won.
Fears can be conscious or unconscious but by identifying and acknowledging them, we pave the way to take the steps necessary to conquer them.
When you feel fear, identify what it is. Acknowledge it.
Then ask, what action can I take right now or at this moment, this day, this month, this year, to move closer to my dreams?
What would you write if you knew you’d never fail?
If you’d like to reach out to me, you can find me at sudha@sudhanair.com
Book Resources for you:
Ralph Keyes talks of the inner and outer struggles, fears, and anxieties of writers, and how to capitalize on them.
The Courage To Write BUY FROM AMAZON.IN | AMAZON.COM
James Scott Bell brings you a book with great tips on the right attitude and practices that will help in producing better outputs.
The Mental Game Of Writing BUY FROM AMAZON.IN | AMAZON.COM
Malcolm Gladwell’s thought-provoking book will change the way you think about your life story and what makes us all unique. It’s here that he puts forth the 10,000-Hour Rule that is required for success. Check it out.
Outliers BUY FROM AMAZON.IN | AMAZON.COM
