A WRITER'S GREATEST ENEMY

The following post is based on an article I wrote for the West Houston RWA Happily Ever After Newsletter. I hope you find it helpful.

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How many times have you heard or read an author express fear about some aspect of the publishing business? Plenty, I'll bet. Here are some of the common fears:

Contests: Fear of getting slammed by a judge
Finishing a manuscript: Fear the writing isn't good enough
Pitching: Fear the agent or editor will not make a request
Querying agents: Fear the agents will send form rejections
Submitting to agents/editors: Fear the agents/editors will reject the partial or complete

Ultimately, many authors are afraid of failure. And a surprising number are equally afraid of success. Here's a true story about the latter. The day I sold my first book I celebrated with friends. I was overjoyed. That night I went to bed, thinking this was one of the happiest days of my life. My subconscious had other ideas. An indeterminate amount of time later, I awoke, jackknifed up in bed, and gasped. My God, what have I done?

I was terrified of the very thing I'd worked so hard to achieve. Why? Because publication was no longer a dream; it was reality. I'd accepted an offer for a three-book contract. I was committed, and there was no turning back. But I was prepared because I'd faced my fears the entire time I'd entered contests, pitched my book, and queried agents.

Stop reading right now and quickly write down the aspects of writing or the publishing business that scare you. Don't think too much about it. Just do it. When you're done, return to read the rest of this article.

You're back? Good. Now I'm going to share a little secret with you. Listen up, my friends, because this is important. Fear is your worst enemy in this business. Got that? Now I want you to remember that every time your stomach clenches at the prospect of going outside your comfort zone. I want you to memorize those words and repeat them like a mantra each time you resist taking that next step in your writing career. Regardless of whether you're a brand new writer or a seasoned published author, remember that fear is the worst enemy you'll ever face in the publishing business.

Fear is an insidious antagonist and can paralyze you if you don't confront the monster in the basement. But here is an undeniable truth. If you let fear deter you, you most certainly will fail.

There are no guarantees in the publishing business. It's highly competitive, and to be frank, you've got to want to publish badly enough to take the punches. Remember, however, that every writer gets rejected in the course of her career. Every published author gets a negative review, even the mega stars. You're going to get bruises, but they will heal if you keep writing.

Listen to your instincts. Write your heart out. And kick fear to the curb.

May the Magic Romance Fairies be with you!

Vicky