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Psychologically Revealing: What we write reveals a little about us as it is pieces of us put on paper.
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Fear of Rejection: It’s out there. On the internet. Once you’ve written something and submitted it, even if it’s on Facebook, it’s out there. People can now pass judgment. If you fear rejection, this is a tough one. You could always write for yourself. Keep a diary, a journal. Or you could write and allow others to read it. But if you do, criticism will follow. Not from everyone, but there are people with big egos who have to knock what you’ve done, even if it’s great.
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Fear of failure: This can stop a writer cold. He can be typing through a scene, start thinking about how this whole business of writing isn’t going anywhere and just stop. I’ve heard of writers who then go and delete what they have, close their laptop and walk away. That’s how serious this fear can be. It’s debilitating. Usually people who experience this fear never get published for obvious reasons. These are people who aren’t ready for publication. They fear failure so much that their ability to try has been hampered too much. Remember; Success is found in cans, failure in can’ts.
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Fear of Commitment
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Reading to a group
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Fear of not “knowing” enough (write what you know)
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Never being published
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Fear of being published and what that’ll mean to you
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Fear of writer’s block
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Fear of mediocrity
Daryl Sedore was born in southern Ontario in 1969. By the age of ten he was already writing short stories. Throughout High School various teachers encouraged him to choose writing as a career, but Daryl decided to invest in the stock market (TSE) in grade 11 and start his first company at the age of seventeen. He built numerous companies and became semi-retired at thirty years of age. During the 1990′s he still wrote short stories, but it wasn’t until the year 2000, that he started writing novels. Daryl has written four novels and over 50 short stories, plus a work of non-fiction called “Publishing Exposed: The Sedore Report” which will be published in November 2010. Six of his short stories have won awards, including, “The Newspaper” which won 6th place out of thousands of entires in the 75th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Story Contest.
“Paranormal Precognitions” has been released as an e-book. The second of the trilogy is due out in early 2011. In November, “The Sedore Report” is due, along with four different volumes of his collected short stories featuring all the award winners. His novel “Bad Vibes” will be released in the fall of 2011.
You can connect with him by visiting his website: www.darylsedore.com.
I teach a novel structure course and the subject of fear is a central one–why are we so afraid? Our egos have so much control over us, don't they? Thanks Daryl for the list… being aware of the fear is the first step in overcoming it. Sometimes we are afraid and don't even understand why or where it comes from–seeing that others, too, share our fears (judgement and criticism are the two biggest, I think) can make it easier.
Patti,Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts. I've heard in places like conferences and writer's groups all about the apprehension writers feel.My goal has always been to take those fears, which turn into procrastination and do THAT tomorrow. Write today. Procrastinate tomorrow.As long as I'm accomplishing that goal, I'm always writing and never procrastinating.Thanks again,Daryl
Number five hits me. My legs can start shaking. There is nothing we can't do though. You are proving that by writing today.May I add that your post was well written and structured?Number one is big. The world has opened up to me since I started. Everything about my life is changing–the walls that trap me have holes. When we begin to break apart the characters of our world, if we look deep enough, we can see how real people we know work. From the right angle, you can see inside your neighbor's head. Sometimes you will be pleasantly surprised, other times… Well, I did write a horror novel. Very good post.Draven Ames
Draven,Love your name by the way. Great name for a horror author…Number 1 was huge for me. At first I was afraid of people getting a look inside my head. When I sent my manuscript to my editor in New York she sent a few personal comments back about me and what she had discovered.Things like: I must have had alcoholic parents; I had relationship issues; and a list of my fears.I was not only surprised that she could determine these assertions from my writing, but that she was spot on.Crazy. Damned. Purged.Heh, it works for me. No fear now. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts.