Monday, October 5, 2009

Confessions of a Scaredy-cat

Okay, so last post sounded like I was at the confessional! Sorry! But thanks for the comments / emails of support and understanding.

Writing is a scary business. For all of us. With each word we put on the page for others to read, we reveal a little of ourselves. With each book that hits the bookshop shelves, we put ourselves and our work out there to be judged. Scary, indeed.

I still haven't written a word for the WIP. But it's been more because of an extremely hectic schedule rather than because of fear. But I did have time to reflect on what exactly I was scared of.

Summary of Fears:

  • That I wasn't up to it. That the story I was trying to tell was more than I can handle.
  • That my writing lacked elegance.
  • That my writing was flat and dull.
  • That my characters were two dimensional and boring.
  • That my story was boring.
  • That the story that had excited me months ago when I started writing wasn't nearly as exciting or unique or interesting as I had hoped/dreamed/envisioned.
  • That with my current work commitments, I didn't have the time or the energy to become immersed enough in my characters' heads to do the story justice.

And there's more. But none of these fears are new to me. I go through periods of self-doubt with every book I write. And I'm sure these types of doubts and fears are pretty typical for many writers. It is all part of the territory. And as writers we have to suck up all that negativity and get on with the job. (It helps to have wonderful writing buddies to help you out of the abyss though.)

So Suzie, go listen to your own advice, and get cracking!