Guest post: "I'm Afraid to Write!" by John DeDakis
I’m Afraid to Write!
By
John DeDakis
“I’m afraid to
write.” I hear that lament a lot. And, to be honest, I’ve felt that way myself. To be afraid is to be human. To admit
you’re afraid is to be brave – and true to yourself. Facing our fears is the first step toward
overcoming them. So, let’s look at some
of the possible reasons for our writing fears – and their antidotes:
1.
I’m
Afraid I’ll Be Judged
2.
I’m
Afraid I’ll Be Rejected
3.
I’m
Afraid I’m Not Good Enough
4.
I’m
Afraid I’ll Be Misunderstood
5.
I’m
Afraid I’ll Fail
The common
thread here is that all of those fears are realistic. Every
writer – successful or wannabe – has been judged, rejected, isn’t as good as
someone else, has been misunderstood, and has failed. Congratulations. Your fears will come true.
That leaves you
with two choices:
1.
Give
in to your fears and let them win, or:
2.
Get
over your fears and get on with your writing
Let’s assume
that from time to time you’ve given in to your fears and your writing has
ground to a stop. Chances are, however,
that you still have a strong desire – perhaps even a need – to write. Do
you? Let that sense of inner urgency be
the engine that propels you forward.
Yes, fear can be
a crippler, but here are some suggestions on how you can overcome your writing
fears:
1.
Admit
to yourself that you are afraid
2.
Identify
the fear or fears holding you back
3.
Do
what you can to address those fears. If, for example, you’re afraid your
writing isn’t as good as good as someone whose work you admire, then figure out
what they do that impresses you and try to emulate them.
4.
Accept
that you will fall short, but don’t let it become an excuse not to try anyway.
5.
Keep
trying. Don’t give up. Giving up assures
failure; trying is an act of faith.
Fear is the
common denominator between courage and cowardice. Cowardice is fearful inaction, but courage is
fear in action. Even the soldiers who stormed Omaha Beach on
D-Day were afraid. But going forward in spite of their fears became an act of
bravery.
Consider writing
as a metaphor for living. To write is to
risk. And it’s in taking calculated risks that we – and our writing – come
alive. Do it. Write!
It’s only then that you’ll see your writing – and yourself -- get
stronger.
~John DeDakis is an
author, writing coach, and former CNN Senior Copy Editor ("The Situation
Room with Wolf Blitzer"). “Bullet in the Chamber,” John’s fourth novel in
the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense series, is available now at: www.johndedakis.com
//////////////////////////
Title: BULLET IN THE CHAMBER
Genre: Mystery
Author: John
DeDakis
Website: http://johndedakis.com
Publisher: Strategic
Media
Find out more on Amazon
About the Book:
Gutsy White House
Correspondent Lark Chadwick is front-row center when the executive mansion is
suddenly attacked. The president is
missing, the first lady’s life is at risk, and Lark is forced to hit the ground
running in her new job as White House correspondent for the Associated Press.
Her career may be in high gear, but when the man she loves disappears, Lark’s
personal life starts to fall apart.
Swiftly swept up in a perilous web of deceit, murder, and intrigue, Lark
relentlessly seeks answers. But her
dogged quest for the truth puts her on a dangerous and deadly path. Just how
far is Lark willing to go to get the whole story? And how far is too far?
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