I don’t have enough time. I’ll write when this crisis is over. Which crisis? Looking back at life from my advanced age, there’s the new relationship, the ending relationship, buying the house, selling the house. There’s finishing school,the wedding, finishing the floor, having the baby, raising the baby. There’s soccer games, the kids’ homework, mom’s surgery, family vacation. ‘There’s sick relatives, aging parents, teens’ college applications, and the joys of menopause. The list could go on, but I’m depressing myself. For busy, connected, exciting people, there is ALWAYS a crisis. The point is, we all have 24 hours in the day. It’s OUR day. We can love, and we can care, but ultimately, it’s OUR day. If we put off using our creative gift, we are selling ourselves short. There’s time. Somewhere. Even if we write one page a day, we’d have a book in a year. And a sense of being true to ourselves. I am going to make the time for success, and write through the crisis.
2. Fear of failure. Writing is tough business. We put our hearts in our words, then we submit our manuscripts, putting them out there like a bull’s eye, vulnerable to editors and agents shooting us down. And often they do. I have to remind myself of Thomas Edison, Ben Franklin, Walt Disney, and the stories of all the failures they endured before finding amazing creative success. I’m in good company. I’m going to risk the failure, and keep writing. Having books stockpiled in the drawer is not a bad thing.
3. Fear of MORE failure. Even when published, writing is tough business. There’s the risk of bad reviews, criticism, bad sales, and the horrible pressure of writer’s block with a contract deadline on the horizon. Believe me, there’s editor rejection AFTER being published too. Am I tough enough for this? I’m going to say yes, and keep writing (and be glad of those unsold books stockpiled in the drawer!)
4. Fear of success. Does this sound like a stupid hurdle? It is very real. My brain has asked questions like this: What if I get a three book contract? How will I ever fulfill it? What if my publisher sends me on a cross country book tour? What will my family do? What if I make a boatload of money and my husband/boyfriend feels jealous and/or inadequate? What are people going to think of me when they read these sex scenes? What if I have to go on Oprah BEFORE I’m thin? It COULD happen. But I think you get the gist. What are the odds??? These are what we call GOOD problems. Good problems can cause change, but there are answers. If, by the luck of the universe (and an extremely good book, of course), such things come to pass, there are absolute solutions to the mayhem they cause. I’m going to stop thinking about this stupid stuff.
5. Negativity. Some people just exude negative energy. They see the down side of everything, and are sure to point it out. Sometimes it is out of jealousy or envy. Sometimes it’s out of fear that we’ll succeed and leave them behind. Sometimes it’s just about their own issues. I’m learning that I simply need to keep away from people who want to tell me how I’ll fail. It’s not mean. It’s practical and honest to take care of myself and my spirit. And I’m also committed to remaining positive around my creative friends, to avoid being the voice of negativity myself. There is enough inspirational joy to go around. We just have to stay close to it.
6. Discouragement. This is different than the feel of failure, or the pall of negativity. This is the hurdle where our confidence wains, where we just get plain tired of fighting the uphill battle and wonder if there ever will be light at the end of the tunnel. We all have days like this. To get over this hurdle, we need understanding friends, committed writing groups, conferences, newsletters, and family support (and chocolate helps!). We have to reach out and affirm each other. There is a magic when writers get together. Energy, hope and inspiration are reenergized, and positive energy multiplies, and we can face the next blank page.
All my Writers 