Don’t be afraid to write!
Last week I did a series of posts about being a more prolific writer. I didn’t plan on writing any more posts on the subject for now, but I came across another blog posting on Copyblogger today that really gets to the heart of why many writers aren’t more productive: fear!
The first example of fear given is the fear of failure. This rings most true with me. For example, when I’m writing a rough draft of a short story, I’m already starting to fear what others will think of it. Even when I’m just writing the first paragraph I start to catch myself thinking "This opening is no good, no one will like it." I’ll then proceed to keep starting over until I’m satisfied with the first paragraph – all the while forgetting it’s just a rough draft.
Only when I make a conscious effort to block out that fear of failure and just write do I really become productive, and the quality of my writing starts to improve as well. When you finish the rough draft and start the editing process, then you can fret over each word (there are limits to editing too, of course, but that’s for another post).
The only thing I fear as much as failure is the use of cliches. I’m not just talking about certain phrases and expressions we’ve all heard a million times (there’s one right there!), but also story lines, character traits, etc. that have been done over and over again. It really is hard to write something that’s fresh and exciting.
Fear plays a big part in being a writer, whether we realize it or not. But I think what separates professional writers from amateurs is that the former constantly strives to overcome fear, while the latter lets fear get the best of him/her. Of course, you can always do what writers have done in the past and just drown your fears in alcohol, but I wouldn’t suggest it.
The Nasty Four-Letter Word That Keeps You From Writing
Related posts
- Quality Vs. Quantity: A writer’s dilemma
- Don’t wait for inspiration – just write!
- Write Now, Think Later!
- Don’t give up on that writing project!
- Are you afraid of being a writer?
Read More: Writing Tips
