Fear: The Brick Wall Every Writer Dreads

by Sarah Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer

Most humans have something they’re afraid of. Fear is an amazing driving force which is at the base of almost every action and every emotional reaction we have. But why does this primal instinct have such a hold on us?

Because fear keeps us safe.

Read that again. Fear keeps us safe. Back when humans weren’t on top of the food chain, the rustling of the bushes might have been a grizzly bear instead of a squirrel. The rustling sets off all sorts of signals in our brain and alerts us that something dangerous might be lurking. Without fear, we might be lunch. 

But fear can absolutely be stultifying. In our modern world, we call it lots of names—procrastination, writer’s block, too busy. Do you have an excuse for not performing at your highest ability? Maybe it’s just plain fear of doing well. 

There are as many fears as there are writers. A little soul-searching can help uncover that fear but, until we face it, it can make our life miserable.

One of my favorite Joseph Campbell quotes is: “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” In so many words, fear keeps us from danger but maybe what we fear isn’t really dangerous but just an old concept that recurs when we face something we aren’t sure of. 

So, what is it that you fear? 

• It could be the fear of losing something, like a loved one or money or even your life. 
• It could be a fear of finding something, like information that will challenge your concepts about writing.
• It could be a fear of not being strong or brave or resourceful enough. 
• All of these things are valid and there are thousands more.

How Do We Fix the Fears That Plague Writers

• 1. Search for whatever it is that you are really afraid of. Stand at the mouth of that cave where your treasure lies and take a step. Facing a monster, er... fear, is the first of many of those steps that will allow you to dig up the things that stop you from what you want.

• 2. Set a goal. I know, that sounds so easy and can be so hard. But, just like with characters in a story, we need a goal to work towards. It can be tiny—just turn your computer on. Or huge, like writing 1667 words a day (for the NaNoWriMo crew). It truly doesn’t matter what your goal is but, may I suggest, you pick small ones first. Don’t overwhelm yourself by creating goals that are too big.

• 3. Stop bruising your forehead by banging it against a brick wall. Remember, you don’t have to go straight through a problem. Sometimes going around, or under, or over a problem is much simpler. Get help if you need it—there are many, many, many experienced folks who can help, if you only ask.

• 4. Quit creating things to be afraid of. This is one of the hardest for me. Our amazing creative minds—and writers are probably more creative than most—can imagine every one of the millions of things that can go wrong or that we “should” be afraid of. Stop it! Take a breath. Go for a walk. Call a friend. Give yourself a break!

Bottom line: Fear is both bad and good. It really doesn’t matter which. It still can be controlled. Otherwise, we’ll be running away every time there’s a rustling in those bushes.

What do you fear? What will you do to overcome it?

Learn more from Sally and six other amazing writers by attending the “Polishing Your Mirror: Self-Care for Writers” Symposium, March 23-24, 2024. Visit MindPotential.org for more info!

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Fear: The Brick Wall Every Writer Dreads insight from @SarahSallyHamer on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Sarah (Sally) Hamer, B.S., MLA, is a lover of books, a teacher of writers, and a believer in a good story. Most of all, she is eternally fascinated by people and how they 'tick'. She’s passionate about helping people tell their own stories, whether through fiction or through memoir. Writing in many genres—mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, medieval history, non-fiction—she has won awards at both local and national levels, including two Golden Heart finals.

A teacher of memoir, beginning and advanced creative fiction writing, and screenwriting at Louisiana State University in Shreveport for over twenty years, she also teaches online for Margie Lawson at www.margielawson.com. Sally is a free-lance editor and book coach at Touch Not the Cat Books, with many of her students and clients becoming successful, award-winning authors. 

You can find her at info@mindpotential.org