Managing Author Fears

Contents

Overview
Prevailing Author Fears
Managing Author Fears
Conclusion
Related Articles

Overview

First thing to say: sadly though there are ways to handle, manage, and deal with fear, truth is most never really fully leave. They tend to remain in the back of the mind and in the emotions. However, that is no reason to feel discouraged or defeated. The majority of authors, if they are prepared to be honest, will acknowledge the constant presence of fear. This applies no matter how experienced or popular they are. In fact popularity itself can result in fear.

Prevailing Author Fears

It is worth recalling some fears are inherent to all humans. Some are more specifically relevant to authors. Consequently, some of the following issues apply to both. Along with the primary fear identity, there are suggestions of how someone with the fear may think and feel.

Fear of Failure: Worries will never finish book; will not see it on bookshelves; it will never be good enough; book will not be sufficiently original; book will be considered too literary or not literary enough; will not make money.

Fear of Rejection: Book will not be seen as valid; book and maybe themselves will be considered inadequate; book and they will not be accepted; they will be slammed by critics; book and they seen as not matching up.

Fear of Writing: This may appear an odd inclusion for an article directed toward authors, but for some it is a very real one. The separate article Aspiring Author Fears (to be published next) considers the issue in more detail. A link will be provided when the article has been published.

Obviously there are other issues impacting authors. However, it may be seen how the prevailing human fear of what people think tends to be seen as more important than what the author thinks of themselves. The truth is, what people think does not fundamentally change the person or how they live their lives. Everyone is unique and should embrace and utilise the fact.

Managing Author Fears

Everyone has their own take, and experience, in dealing with their fears. The following are suggestions many have found helpful:

Note: Alongside some, in parenthesis, there are links to further articles, which may also prove helpful.

Know who writing for. (Who Do Authors Write For?) (Finding the Right Audience) Outline before starting. (Several authors do not favour plotting however, in this instance some aspect of an outline may prove more helpful.) (Plotter v Pantser – The Differences) Save editing until end. (Trying to edit in the development stage can result in unintentional mishaps.) (Proofreading Your Own Work) (Editing Your Own Work) (Self-Editing a Book: This includes additional links to other useful information.) Break writing into chunks e.g. one chapter or section at a time. Do not focus upon fear of failure. Rather envision what end result will be. Recall why writing. Age not relevant. It is never too late to start. (One author wrote their memoir when ninety-eight. This was their first book. It is not known whether they went on to write more.) Remember it is not possible to please everyone. (People have different tastes, likes, dislikes, and expectations.) Though book may not be the best written at first it does not mean readers do not want it. (Some very successful books, even some made into films, are very poorly written and received consequent critical reviews.) Remember, in the self-publishing world revising and republishing a manuscript is easy. However, it is wise to avoid too many revisions or new editions as it may give the wrong impression to readers. Most self-publishing authors will admit the first edition is not always the best. Frequently, it is not until the book is seen in print that anomalies, inconsistencies, or errors come to light. It is then the author should set aside ample time to go through the manuscript thoroughly before republishing. Many will argue authors should always employ an editor however, a majority of independent authors do not have the means to do so.Conclusion

Authors are people and as such are subject to fear. That is not anything to be ashamed of, it is a simple fact of life. No one should allow fear to control their lives and actions. Fear can be managed. The initial step is to face it and then look for the ways to control or overcome it.

Related Article(s)

Who Do Authors Write For?
Finding the Right Audience
Plotter v Pantser – The Differences
Proofreading Your Own Work
Editing Your Own Work
Self-Editing a Book
Aspiring Author Fears (Link will be provided when article published. It is the next in line.)