Judith Graves Guest Post: "My Worst Fear as an Author"

Today I'm delighted to host my fellow2k10 author Judith Graves, whose second novel, SECOND SKIN, is just out! Judithand I are swapping guest posts this week, and I love her take on fear. Beingout there as an author is a brave move in an often hostile world...and Judithputs the perfect words to that edgy feeling.
Being an artist, in any form, is atricky thing. You work relentlessly to hone your craft, dodge out of socialevents due to deadlines or a work-in-progress that refuses to cut you someslack, wake up in the middle of the night to jot down ideas/sketches/tunes, andthen your work is unleashed on the world.
A sometimes harsh, cruel world.
Suddenly what existed only in thesafety of your imagination is being interpreted by others, talked up or torndown, celebrated or mocked. You are no longer in control. For a creator, that'sone hell of a scary concept.
You may be tempted to clarifymisconceptions, or engage critics – to defend your baby…but that way leadsmadness. From an author's perspective, we don't know the personal biases,agendas, or histories that our readers will bring to the table when they beginat chapter one. Reading is a give and take – the author gives, and the readertakes out of the work what they are willing to see at that point in theirlives.
Which may be far from the author'soriginal intent.
Art is subjective. Sometimes I enjoylistening to grunge tunes from the 90s and other days I skip over those songsin favour of something completely different. My likes and dislikes vary with mymood, what's happening that day, how I'm feeling physically.
I'll say it again. Art. Is. Subjective.
A negative review shouldn't prevent anauthor from continuing to write. I personally can't stand slasher flicks like Saw or Hostel, but there are tons of fans of the genre out there. They're notwrong. I'm not right.
We just have different preferences.
Artists put themselves in the line offire, invest themselves in their work and then share it with whoever may takethe time to stop and ponder the implications. Fear of rejection goes with theterritory. So does a thick, leathery hide.
But sometimes, the feedback is good –great – beyond our dreams. Our voices are heard, joined by a chorus, andresound. Those moments keep us plugging away. They push back the fear and feedour souls.
The only thing to fear is…ourselves. Wealone can continue our quest to create, to share, and express ourselves in whatevermedium we gravitate toward. And so we might miss out on the occasional movienight, or lose an entire weekend writing about other worlds, because it's whatwe do. It's who we are.
Because being an artist is a scary,tricky, wonderful, magical thing.The collection SPIRITEDis just out as well....proceeds from the purchase of SPIRITED go to 826 National (a literacy charity) and it features the intro story to Judith's newsteampunk series (can't wait!), STRANGEWAYS: www.strangewaysnovels.com
And you can findout more about Judith at her website, www.judithgraves.com