The past week or so I've been finding quite a few essays around about writing fears. The truth is, I'm not afraid of the writing itself - I'm afraid of what comes after. Having to find a market, wondering if anyone is going to publish my story or even read it.
I love writing stories, the characters float around in my head like a song and the loudest and most off-tune singer usually finds the spotlight on my page. What I've found most intriguing about my writing process is that the stories I think are my best never find homes (over-confidence, perhaps?). But the ones I send out fully expecting a rejection or wanting to totally rewrite after I hit send are taken by the first or second market I submit to. Go figure.
So what are your writing fears? Are you afraid of the blank page, afraid of fumbling the words so that you sound like an idiot instead of a writer or are you afraid of submitting?
And of course there's a link. The essay is "How Writers Build Courage" by Alan Rinzler. The suggestion about skydiving made me laugh but he has some good suggestions for what scares you as a writer. http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2010/04/19/how-writers-build-courage/
14 comments:
Ah, fear, my constant companion, Sandra--as I suspect it is of all writers. I'm much like you, I've got oodles of stories floating in my head...and I adore writing them. But whatever market I think will be eager to take that particular story, I'm usually wrong.
I've found it helps to have more than one circulating. Then I don't hyperfocus on that one piece and wonder and stew.
Really afraid of what I have to go through to try and find an agent if I want to see this book (or the last one) published. Just can't bear it.
It seems like we're all more afraid of what comes after the writing than the writing itself. I wonder if the gentlemen feel the same way?
If I might call myself a gentleman, the answer is: No.
The more you do something, the less you fear it. After several hundred rejections, what's one more?
As Conda says. "it helps to have more than one [manuscript] circulating."
It also helps not to try to out-think editors. Write the best story you can and put it in the hands of an editor or agent. Let that person decide if it fits his or her needs. If it does, great. If not, send it to the next editor or agent.
Be a shark: Keep moving forward.
I'm afraid that someone is going to laugh that it takes me months between short stories.
Rejection letters were hard, but actually getting published was terrifying. Now my friends would know for sure what an idiot/fool/ incompetent/ whatever I really am. HUGE anxiety attach when Book #1 came out and I can see I'll do it again with Book #2. Part of the rollercoaster of this business! Thanks for addressing the issue--we writers don't get enough credit for guts!
I just hate it when I post something with a typo. No wonder I have anxiety attacKKKs.
I like that idea of being a shark, Michael! And I have noticed that the more I submit, the less the rejections bother me. But there's still that twinge of wondering what I'm doing wrong. And of course, you're a gentleman, Michael!
Nobody's gonna laugh, David! I used to write a story send it out, get rejected and quit. I averaged about one story a year that way until I finally told myself if I wanted to be taken seriously, I had to take the work seriously.
You're right, Ann! Everyone thinks it's so easy to be a writer, just put words on paper and you're published. They really don't want to know how hard the road to publication is.
Don't worry about the typos here, Ann, I make them all the time!
I'm usually fearful of not only explaining to people what my choice of topic is when I write (sex) but also trying to explain what my recently finished book is about.
Beyond that, I try not to let the fear of thinking that my stories aren't good enough to be published, take hold and cause paralysis.
Ah, the fear of what people will think of your subject matter! Most of my family, aside from my kids, is elderly. My eighty year old aunt loves my stories, but I don't show her the ones that are published in places like Out of the Gutter. She'd never understand. :-)
I finally got over that god-awful fear of wondering if I was good enough, by just letting go and writing for myself, G. The more I wrote, the more confident I got, then I started submitting. Still got rejected but it didn't hurt so bad because the joy of writing the stories was still there.
Most of my friends (and none of my immediate family) appreciate a few of my lighter stories that I've written because they can reconcile those with the person that they know. It's the other stuff that creates the headaches & problems.
Still, I am bullheaded enough to pursue my chosen path because it's what I'm most comfortable in writing. And like you, the more I write, the more confident I've gotten with the end result.
I agree with Conda. Fear goes along with the creative process. When Sue Grafton spoke at the Edgars Symposium last year, she said someone once asked if she was ever afraid, and her response was: Only every day.
Nice to know we're in good company, Anita!
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