3 Fears That Hold You Back

Let's face it--we all have worries and insecurities when it comes to life in general, never mind in writing.

Every author out there, even the bestselling ones like Stephen King and J.K. Rowling, has admitted to getting these anxieties at times.

For young writers, the pressure can be even worse, because of all that adult competition in the way.

But then, it's not just OTHERS that are holding us back, because we tend to hold OURSELVES back.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to Mr. Inner Critic.

You'll get to know him very well, very soon, because he won't stop peering over your shoulder and whispering things into your ear while you write. Nothing will work on this dude. He's not gonna leave you alone.

Today I'd like to present 3 things you're going to hear from him. There's no way to escape hearing these things every day, with every novel.

But keep in mind that none of them are true, and none of them will hold you back from your writing if you don't let them.

#1: "I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH"

Don't ever listen to this.

Think of another hobby you may have, or a sport you play. When you first started that hobby or sport, were you a master right off the bat? Of course not. But now, after lots of practice, you're confident in your skills, even if you know you're still not perfect. We've all gotta start at some place.

A good step towards improvement is recognizing your faults. But that doesn't mean you should let your faults prevent you from continuing. Instead, take note of these faults and strive to improve. You should keep writing, no matter how good you think it may be. And meanwhile, take steps to get better. A great way to improve your writing skills is to read other people's writing. You can enter into short story writing contests for teens (check out Write the World: https://writetheworld.com/for_young_writers ), and subscribe to great writing blogs that will teach you something new every day (check out Write it Sideways: https://writeitsideways.com/start/ ).

No matter what, keep in mind that there will always be room for improvement. You may face self-doubt, but you're not alone.

Just think, once your novel has been published you'll look back and be glad that you never gave up.

#2: "I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT TODAY"

When humans are put to a daunting task, like cramming for high school exams, or, well, writing a novel, their hidden procrastinating, excuse-making powers are unlocked.

Like I've said, we're all going to have those various writers' block moments that make writing every day appear impossible, but we've also been over how to get past those moments. So if you've gotten past writers' block, but continue to put off your writing, there are no excuses. That's called procrastination.

Try to set a specific time frame for writing every day, and stick to it. For me, as a night owl, it works to write first thing in the morning, before I leave for school. I stuck to that routine after deciding to try it years ago, and now I do it automatically.

Remember what was said earlier about sheer stubbornness and self-discipline being important in becoming a writer? Well, now's the time to put that into practice. Real writers write even when they don't feel like it, even when they've caught the Monday blues.

And if the issue is a chaotic life (as it is with me), don't expect to get away with avoiding your novel there either because many accomplished adult authors have kids and full-time jobs to worry about, but still manage to publish their books.

You'll start to realize that it isn't about finding time, It's about making time. I'll be posting something on that soon.

#3: "NO ONE WILL READ THIS"

Well, whether or not this statement turns out to be true relies entirely on you, because you're the writer.

Instead of telling yourself that no one would read your writing, ask yourself if you would. Would you, as a reader, find the plot to be interesting? More than likely your answer will be yes, and that's a good sign. Of course, your opinion isn't going to be enough, although it is important. You need other people's opinion, too.

It's wise to join one or two writing communities, full of people who can help and support you. Have a few friends or family members you can count on to give you honest feedback.

Again, reading different advice from different professional authors and bloggers on how to make your novel readable can help a lot.

But don't forget that you'll be going through tons of testing and editing in the final stages of the novel. You need to keep an open mind for constructive criticism. The re-writing process can be tough, but it's going to make your book the best it can be.

And as for who will read your book once it's published, it all depends on how you market your book--how you put it out there. You'll need to be building what's called an audience, and have it ready to buy your novel by the time it's published.

I'll be dedicating a series to that later on. I'll also be posting lots of tips on making your book as awesome as it can be, so stay tuned!

Whatever you're afraid of, feel free to share that fear with your fellow readers, because you're not the only one. Just think of Mr. Inner Critic as a nuisance--because he is--but the kind of nuisance that will be useful during the editing and re-writing process.

And remember (warning--stolen quote): "fear is the wall between you and your dreams."

Here's another awesome stolen quote:

"Successful authors are aspiring writers that didn't quit."

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