This year I’m blogging my book De-Stress Your Writing Life. You can read it for free on Creativity’s Workshop every Friday.

So far we’ve considered how a successful writer:

• Seeks to understand herself and is aware of the writing practices that work best for her.
• Embraces the details of the world she encounters and then incorporates those details into her writing.
• Has an adventurous spirit and is always in search of fresh ways of understanding her world.
• Views herself as separate from her writing so she can continue to grow and learn as she writes.

Now let’s consider how a successful writer deals with the fears and barriers that will inevitably come in the writing life.

Defining Your Fear

While every writer will face some kind of fear in their writing life – be it the fear of failure, the fear of making mistakes, or the fear of what others will say about their writing – each writer is different.

The subject of writing fears and barriers deserves a book of its own, so we’ll only cover the topic briefly here. If you wish to read more on the subject, try The Writer’s Portable Therapist by Rachel Ballon, Ph.D.

Firstly, let’s define the two terms we’re using here:

• Fear: In this book, when we refer to fear we’re usually talking about the worry or anxiety caused by perceived:
  • Difficulty,
  • Danger,
  • Potential for embarrassment, or
  • Potential for hurt or heart ache.
• Barrier: A problem (perhaps caused by fear or a self-imposed limitation) that prevents you progressing with your writing project.

As we already mentioned, the fears and barriers that each writer faces will be unique to them. Our fears and barriers are influenced by our:

• Upbringing,
• Life experiences,
• Beliefs (including the way we perceive the world), and
• Habits.

What are your personal fears and barriers? You may already know, or you may need a little help to describe the feelings and thoughts you encounter on a regular basis.

Before you read further, jot down on a piece of paper the fears and barriers you feel you’re facing in your writing life.

If you’re not sure what to write, then try asking yourself the following questions:

• What thoughts go through my head when I sit down to write?
• Am I embarrassed to call myself a writer? If so, why?
• What is the hardest part of writing for me personally?
• What’s the worst thing someone could say to me about my writing?

Notice any reoccurring thoughts or words. Also notice how you feel as you write. Do your muscles tense up when you think about certain aspects of your writing? Do you feel your gut tightening when you approach certain situations?

You may be surprised at the things that concern you.

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Add your comment below. What fears are you facing in your writing life?

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Like most writers, I have to be frugal with my funds. So if you’ve enjoyed today’s post and would like to read more, I’d be grateful if you could leave a little in the kitty to help keep things afloat.

Everyone who donates will receive a free electronic copy of the book once it has reached completion.

Thanks for dropping by.