Coping With My Biggest Fears

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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?
I am posting this one one month later than expected. Better late than never, as we say.

The first Wednesday of each month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. As members of this community, we post on our own blog our thoughts, talk about our doubts, the fears we have conquered, and we our struggles and triumphs. The awesome co-hosts for the May 7 posting of the IWSG were: 

Judgement

Comparing my work to others. In fact, I am always afraid of the others' judgment, and afraid to feel demolished by a comment. I was sure I was not an artist, although I was crafting, writing, creating and making stuff... I used to see every creation as less nice and cute than the artists in my family. I thought I could not become an artist: the others in my family were so much much better. They drew better, they read out loud better, they wrote better, even in chats! Eventually, I named my problem: "low self-estime" and "low self-image". 

Since I chose to embrace and respect my artistic side, the more I create, the happier I am. 

Recently, I decided I could self-publish my texts since no editor would publish my stories! (Hear the self-deprecating still taking over.)  One day, I will self publish my stories!

My Imagination

How come I write scary stories? How come I write about serial killers? Am I crazy? In TV series like « Criminal Mind » or movies on the topic, any discussion on the killer’s thoughts interests me. I don't know if they are realistic yet... One day, I will but I'm not sure I'd like to. 

I think I am safe for the society… Or am I? Each time I start a new story, it becomes a frightening situation: abduction, killing, ghosts, etc. and all of the above. 

Answer: I choose to respect what ever comes out of my imagination. Like I said above, drawing and painting runs in my family. I can't draw properly so, too bad, I'll paint abstract while learning to draw realist on the side. Writing scary stories is surely a great way to work on my soul shadows. So be it!

Respecting my imagination brought a much deserved peace to my soul: I am allowed to write in different genres and paint any style I love. Period.

Afraid of Being Overwhelmed

What if it works?!??? What if people read and like my stuff and I must put all my life aside, hide because everyone think I'm nuts?

Oh well: If that happens to me, I should go buy a lottery ticket. 

Meaning: things happen by luck too. 

Once I got this into my head, I chose to take the wave and surf on it, if EVER success happens.

Fear of Being Seen as a Writer of Horror Stories

If one read these stories, will they be scared of me? Would my writing hinder my relationship with them? 
My answer : Once the story is written, I will choose a pseudonym… If I still worry about this.

I wasted time (having fun) looking for interesting noms de plume then I gave up and got back to writing. I still have not found the best pen name; who cares? Since internet is more « niched », I am less afraid of my reputation as an individual. 
Here is a fact: no one cares.

Readers of horror genre are nice people. They will not decide you need a restraint because you write crazy stuff. They will not put the author in jail for that (mind you, it almost happened in my country....)

To Sum Up

No one cares about our arts, any arts.

No one sees an artist as a bad person… almost

Just do our thing and have fun

Gain trust in your words and your prose

Chose who to show it, but do show it!

Going back, I would tell myself "no worries, get yourself a writing buddy, start by finishing 5 and 10 stories, self publish at least 1, then we will discuss!"

Yup: better late than never! 


I wrote this post with the help of Prowriting Aid's AI

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