Even the most prolific and successful writers and authors suffer bouts of uncertainty, low self-esteem and fear about how their work will be received. For new, fledgling, and aspiring writers, this can be magnified a hundred-fold, or at least it feels that way. If left unchecked and unchallenged, fear can consume our confidence to the point where some abandon their dream altogether which is heartbreaking.
Fears, though real to us, are subjective. As creatives, there would not be many immune to any of the below at some stage, and the list is certainly not exhaustive –
Fear of:
- failure
- looking foolish
- not being good enough
- not meeting goals
- commitment
- criticism
- rejection
and believe it or not –
- Fear of success
Let’s not forget good ol’ Imposter Syndrome which is fear wrapped in a jacket; it encompasses everything!
Recently, I came across an article well worth a read, “How to Conquer Fear of Failure”, and it discussed distinguishing between real and imagined threats. It helped to put a little perspective on my own fears –
“Delivering a speech in front of a group of people is an imagined threat because there is little risk to your survival. Delivering a speech in front of a pride of lions in the savanna is a real threat because they are not interested in hearing you, they are interested in eating you.”
Theo Tsaousides Ph.D. https://psychologytoday.com/au
How we deal with our apprehension can make a big difference. If the above list has struck a chord, how can we combat our negativity and turn that energy into fuel to drive our creative dream?
Continue to learn
Writing takes practice. A simple sentence, yet incorporates a great deal.
Writing regularly is a good habit, and it’s great to establish that routine; but it takes more than putting words on a page to improve our skills.
In order to identify shortcomings in our own prose, we need to read other writers’ work, and a lot of it. This not only refers to genre, contemporary or non-fiction novels and pieces; if you are already putting your work out there and/or entering competitions, that’s fantastic, but take the time to read those who have been shortlisted (especially if you’re not one of them). Learn from them. Recognizing areas for improvement is key, then learning how to correct and further develop. Being able to see shortfalls in our own work is positive, it means we are expanding our understanding of the processes.
Re-visit books that you’ve loved as a reader, but this time, read them as a writer. Identify what it is that appeals to you and work this into your own writing. Consider for example, the structure, plot, depth of characters, timing and revealing of information.
Invest in yourself. There are course options available for every pocket. Not everyone can afford the cost of University, and many abandon their dream of writing because they believe they need a formal education. This simply is not true. Though many arrive at the author’s doorstep via other professions, and may therefore have University degrees, it is not a must. However, participating in some form of writing/creative writing course/s will certainly benefit. Search your local area, adult learning centres and other education providers to see what’s on offer. There are lots of on-line course options as well. Be sure to do your research, read reviews or gain feedback from others who have or a participating in the course you’re interested in.
There are also a myriad of self-help books available, written by successful authors to help and assist the aspiring and emerging writer. Some give practical how to advice, others, guidance on how to unlock your own creativity. Again, research to see what will best meet your needs.
Handling Criticism
Don’t allow the fear of criticism, judgement, rejection or any of the above prevent you from pursuing what you love. Remember, for every 1 person that may not relate to your work, there will be others that will.
Criticism will come from every angle, both negative and constructive. Similar to advice from well-meaning friends, family and colleagues, we need to be able to sift through what is not helpful and extract the positive.
Not everyone has a thick hide, and learning to ignore toxic comments from negative individuals whose only goal is to disparage can be tough, but not impossible.
This is another great article that presents some excellent points and provides advice on how to deal with our fear of criticism. Have got this one bookmarked, and cannot agree more with the sentiments expressed.
“6 Ways to Overcome the Fear of Criticism” by Scott Mautz
Acknowledge Yourself
Own your achievements. It’s easy to lose sight of how far we have come and what we have accomplished.
Think back to when you first realized your dream, and write down the actions you’ve taken towards making it a reality, even if you think they are small or inconsequential. Better yet, continue to add to this list every time you have reached/accomplished/triumphed or commenced work towards a goal. This could be enrolling in the on-line course you’ve been considering; joining a writer’s group; attending a writer’s festival; submitting a piece of work for a competition or to an editor; starting a Facebook profile page or blog; or reaching a set word count on your work in progress.
Everyone’s journey is different, but we all have one thing in common, personal milestones – acknowledge and celebrate them. It’s easy to dwell upon the negatives, we’re exceptional at that; but by writing down the positives and seeing what we’ve achieved, will help shift that focus and provide a soothing balm to a battered self-esteem when needed.
Admitting fear is not a weakness. Yes, it’s easier to stay within our comfort zones, but if we never extend and challenge ourselves, we become stagnant. Imagine if our favourite authors had succumbed to their creative fears and never penned their inspired tales!
Don’t deny your creative voice for fear of what others might think or say, for the world would be a much poorer place for it.
One comment on “Facing our Creative Fears”