Fear Part 4: My Book Is Gonna Suck And Be Boring

Maybe you’re floundering in the vast, Mojave desert of being halfway through a first draft. Maybe you’re hiding under your desk, trying to work up the courage to start. Maybe you’re proofreading the back cover of your completely finished book that’s going to print in five minutes. It doesn’t matter where you are in the process, the paralyzing fear that … Read More

Fear Part 3: What Will People Think

Fear Part 3: What Will People Think

One of the fastest ways to get creatively blocked and stalled in your writing is to imagine your audience–a swarm of anonymous readers, ex-partners, and your mom–all judging and jeering from the sidelines. The fear of what people will think is a sneaky, slippery fear because it can muddy the waters of a genuinely beneficial intention: how do I write … Read More

Fear Part 2: I Have Nothing Valuable To Say

For our second installment of The Fear Series, we’re tackling another doozy. The fear of having nothing of value to say. This fear has underpinnings in self-worth, so if you haven’t read Fear Part 1, it’s worth a review. Having something valuable to say is not about being the smartest person in the room, being liked, or impressing anyone. Those are … Read More

Fear Part 1: I’m not good enough

Fear is the archnemesis of creative work. So often, it’s the thing standing between you and writing your book. And, just our luck, fear manifests in all kinds of forms. So, we’re going to help you face the many-headed hydra with a series of posts designed to put fear in its place beginning with this paralyzing punch to the gut: … Read More