It's the first Wednesday of the month, which means it's the posting day for the Insecure Writer's Support Group! Click here to learn more and sign up!
This month's optional question is: 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?
Um...all of the above? And also some other ones?
Ok, ok, I'll dive a little deeper...
While rejection is certainly a reality, I wouldn't say I'm afraid of it. I think it's to be expected, and I've faced it before in a particularly brutal way. I think just being told "no" wouldn't faze me at all.
I think my biggest fear isn't that I never had any talent or ability, but that I lost it and I'll never get it back. Do I think some of my work would be a hard sell? Yes. But did I think I was writing it well? Yes! But it's been so long since I've been able to do that. I used to be really proud of some of the things I was writing. I thought it was really complex and entertaining and would hopefully reach some kind of audience. But for the past few years, I just haven't felt like a writer.
I haven't been able to feel motivated or inspired for so long now that I'm afraid I'll never be able to write again. And that leads me to another fear about what the hell I'm supposed to do with my life. I wanted to be a writer since I was 8 years old. If I'm not a writer anymore, then what am I?
How do I manage these fears? Well, I've been pretty lenient on myself. I don't put pressure on myself to write or do other creative things. I kind of just go with it. If I start thinking about a story, I don't stop myself, but I don't force it either. But I've been doing this for so long that I think maybe I should be a little harder on myself. Maybe I should force myself to do just a few minutes of writing every day. I guess the problem there is that I wouldn't know where to start. I don't have any ideas for anything new or any existing project. I think if I open up a document or sit down with a notebook, I'm just going to stare at the blank page.
I mentioned a while ago that I would be moving into a bigger apartment soon, and it's finally happening this month! I'm hoping that having more space and more peace and quiet will lift some of the stress and anxiety from my mind and eventually lead to wanting to create again. But as always, I'm taking it one day at a time.
Congrats on your new move! I'm an infrequent writer these days, but I enjoy it when I get back into it. After I get back from my trip and get caught up, I'm going to write for about 15 minutes while I eat lunch a few days a week. I don't have new ideas either but when I finish what I'm working on, I'm going to revise a very old manuscript. Pick something up and try to make it a little better. That way maybe writing can be a little part of your busy life now. After you move and get settled in.
ReplyDeleteWell I think you're a fabulous writer, as this post exemplifies. Here's the thing, fiction isn't the only writing out there. In fact, it's the hardest sell. I've explored writing careers in the writing world and found so many possibilities outside fiction...and have concluded, these hard-won skills apply to all of life and so many possibilities. Wishing you peace with the move!
ReplyDeleteIf you wanted to try the "writing every day" thing, you could get a book of writing prompts or find a bunch online, and just play around with them. Or journal prompts, even. Answer each one as you would, and then as Jordan would, if you wanted. One of those prompts could spark something you weren't anticipating, and it's okay even if they don't. You can still do it, just for you. Plus, it could be a reason to go journal shopping.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with your upcoming move. I hope it goes smoothly!
Moving is hell--good luck this month! I didn't write from 2020-2024, and I had the same thought as you: Am I still a writer? Staying part of this group has been meaningful. But then an idea for a novel from my psychologist career spoke to me, and I started writing. My pace has slowed big-time, though I signed up for a local author event November 1, and I would love to finish my novel (set where I live) by then, so I'm trying to pick up the pace.
ReplyDeleteI think it's realistic that our motivation ebbs and flows. Writing is hard! I enjoyed having more chill time on the weekends instead of getting butt in chair, but now I feel that fire in my belly to get-er-done. I hope you find some peace in continuing a break or jumping back in.
I didn't write for more than a year and wondered if I'd lose the ability to tell a story. When my life got back under control, I opened the unfinished manuscript file. It felt like I'd never stopped writing. I was wonderful. There's no reason you need to worry. If it feels right for you to change course, you're in the driver's seat of your life. I do hope you find joy. Blessings
ReplyDeleteTypo's; the "I was wonderful" should be "It was wonderful."
ReplyDeleteIt will come back. I didn't write for four years and then finally was inspired to produce another book.
ReplyDeleteYour muse will come back. Have faith.
ReplyDeleteIt always comes back. Try journaling, just to get yourself writing. Document that crazy move. (Because they are all crazy.)
ReplyDeleteA writer's worst fear, Sarah. After writing well, to never be able to write again.
ReplyDeleteBut...
YOU can do this, Sarah. I know you can. Patience is difficult. At least it is for me. Have no fear. Your muse will return.
I often wonder if I need to push myself harder, but then I remind myself that doing so will just shut me down even faster. Some of us are a bit unlucky in writing gets easily derailed by all sorts of things and leads us to doubting if we should even call ourselves writer.
ReplyDelete