Writing is full of terrifying prospects. While it seems such a simple and safe practice, there are bits of writing that are frightening. Those fears range from person to person and project to project. Some projects might scare you in other ways than you've been frightened before. Here are just a few of the ways writing has terrorized me.
1. The blank page
Many people are petrified of the very start of a new project, that looming blank page is oftentimes very frightening to conquer. How do you get past it?
Some people change the way the screen looks. Make the background of the document a different color, set a timer and just write, copy and paste something that motivates you and teen extent to work. There are a lot of options, but they all come back to one thing: to get past the blank page, you have to write something on it.
2. Inferiority
I struggle with this one a lot. Everything I write, I worry that it's not good enough, that so-and-so's work is so much better. How can I even consider myself a writer when all I can write is this trash? This fear can freeze you right in your seat. Working through it is not an easy task, but I try to remind myself that there will always be someone better than you at everything...look at it as a goal to improve yourself instead of an obstacle.
3. Rejection
Writers have to be a bit masochistic. You have to be able to handle being constantly rejected, having your work cut to pieces by editors, and being able to pick the pieces back up. For me, working through this is rejection is proof that you are working on your writing, that you are putting your work out there. (You can read more about my thoughts of rejection here).
4. The ending
Most writers I know worry about the beginning of the story, but finding the proper place for an ending is what terrifies me. How do I know where and when to stop a story? This can often lead to a long, drawn-out story that meanders and lacks direction. I have found that trying to create a very basic outline keeps this fear from overtaking me.
5. Writer's Block
When your fingers freeze over the keys and words won't just come. I don't really think writer's block exists, not in the often cited way most people refer to it at least. I find that usually if I 'can't write, there's something else at the cause that needs to be addressed, whether it's laziness, depression, or fear, addressing the real reason behind the block can help to deal with it much more effectively.
These are just some of the fears that I've seen with my own writing. What kinds of fear do you conquer in your writing life?