Fear is the Mindkiller

Surely one of the most famous quotes in all of SF.

It's particularly apt, I feel, for writers.

Writer's block is all about fear. At least in my experience. The fear that what one is writing isn't good enough, so there is the desire to think it over and stall until the fear is diminished.

I have never actually had writer's block where I had no idea what would happen next and could not proceed for that reason. It was always about being afraid. If I made myself sit down and type, something always came out even if I was not sure what it was going to be.

Today's post isn't really about writer's block. Today's post is about writer's fear, which is a little more general.

Ah, I have so many things making me anxious! Will Forever Watch sell through its US and UK advances? How will the audiobooks do? What about when people start buying it--how many of those readers will get pissed off at me for not spending enough time dealing with this issue or that issue? How many people will think I'm making light of PTSD? How many people will think the main character, Hana, is not convincing as a woman?

And that's just for "The Forever Watch"!

As it is, the good reviews I have read make me both happy and also terribly nervous. Nervous because my next project is not the same kind of story.

It is still science fiction, but world-building has less of an impact on the story. The story itself is simpler. Etc.

There is the fear that even if people like my first book, they'll dislike the second one. Cripes! And of course, the fear about meeting the deadline in my contract with Hodder & Stoughton!

In the end, the only solution is the same one there is for writer's block: there is only going forward and writing.

The best that can be done is to ignore the fear. To act despite it.

If it's as good or better or worse: these concerns have no place external to the current project. The only valid comparison to think of is making sure the next draft is better than the one before it.

Currently, I'm doing a rewrite on the next project. The first draft was not quite complete, but it was mostly done, and I see enough that I have to change in the rewrite that I might as well add the completing material to the next draft.

And on and on it goes.