It’s First Wednesday so it’s time for another Insecure Writer’s Support Group!
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?
Yes. My greatest fears would be all of the above!
I’m afraid of rejection. Have had enough rejection slips and form letters. I’ve even gotten some personalized letters, which are supposed to be better somehow. It’s still rejection and it still stings. Rejection equals failure, of course, in almost everyone’s eyes, and nobody wants to be a failure. I’m afraid of finally being told I’m just no good at all and I need to face the truth and stop wasting everyone’s time. I worry that I really don’t have any talent or ability, despite my enjoyment of writing and creating stories.
I suppose I’m afraid of success, too. What if my first book is a hit, then I can’t fulfill the promise of another book just as good? There are plenty of authors who have fallen into this trap and never written another word (of course, there are also authors with a whole book series out there who cannot seem to finish the final book, but that’s neither here nor there).
What about you? What are your real fears as a writer? Do you have “pantophobia,” as Charlie Brown learns from Lucy the amateur psychiatrist? That’s fear of everything in case you didn’t see the cartoon. Or do you suffer from one or two fears only? Comment and let me know!
