The two types of fear for writers

And how one type can actually help you...

When you’re a writer, fear walks by your side.

I mean, sure, you won’t be as fearful as the average marine, fire-fighter or police officer, but nevertheless fear will be a major and inevitable part of your working life, regardless of whether that’s for the page, stage or screen.

Here’s one key concept that will run through this blog for years to come - some fears are useful.

In fact, fears can be broken down into two groups: inhibitors and motivators.

INHIBITING FEARS (“I can’t write!”)

These are negative and self-limiting. If we pay too much attention to these whispery little bastards (“You’re kidding yourself, if you think you can actually ever write anything that people will want to read”), they can paralyse us before we type one single letter. They can so easily become self-fulfilling prophecies.

MOTIVATING FEARS (“What if this thing I’m writing turns out badly?”)

These can be positive sources of fuel, because they tend to signify that we care about our work. A healthy level of self-regulation (“Hmm, does this plot make sense?”, “Have I really devoted enough deep-thought to this character?”, “Is Pornhub strictly necessary today?”) can only be good for us - unless we obsess over it, in which case a motivating fear can so easily tip over into inhibition.

Equally, if we try to smother motivational fears, or run away from them, the effect can be negative there too.

We need to care about what we’re doing, and some of that caring will inevitably involve dread.

This blog will concern itself with all manner of Scary Truths Of Writing, but one important thing I’d like to do is try to usher and cheerlead you through all these feelings. 

Together, we will strive to recognise which fears are unhelpful inhibitors and which can actually be useful motivators. 

We will examine which fears you should reject, which you should embrace and which you should ponder with some kind of even-handed approach. 

This process may involve a certain degree of motivational tough love on my part, which I hope you’ll take in the intended constructive spirit. 

Now, then. Here’s where this blog should get really interesting.

I’d like you to tell me your biggest fear as a writer.

Reply to this post and tell me about the fear that has proven more likely to paralyse your work than any other.

I may use your fear as the basis for a future post, in which I talk about the fear, categorise it and offer any remedies that I can.

Note: if you would NOT like me to post your Substack username as part of such a future post, to credit you for courageously standing up to nominate this fear, then please end your reply with ANON in capital letters.

Shriek soon!

Jason

UPDATE

I have now left Substack, as of Jan 2024, due to the founders’ stance on platforming Nazi content.

My content for newer writers now takes video form at my new YouTube channel Write Like Hell and free Skool community form at The Phantasia Lounge.

You can also join my Patreon as a free or paid member.

OTHER CHOICE LINKS:

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