You have no doubt heard of the legendary pen that "freely spells forth words" and "spills ink onto the page in paragraph form". It sits under the protective housing of a glass case, locked away in a bank-style vault, guarded by a gang of four burly thugs, and is hidden away in a nearly impregnable fortress.
Our hero, the would-be writer, stands outside those walls with his notepad in hand. He scratches his head and wonders how he will ever lay his hands on that legendary pen and accomplish his dream of becoming a writer. For after penetrating the fortress, he would need to find the vault, subdue the guards, use the pen, and then manage to make it through a series of snares and traps before he would be home free again. (He could only hope that his manuscript would survive all these perils intact!)
Looking upon this scene, perhaps it seems to you as though becoming a writer is an action-adventure challenge. Perhaps becoming a writer is a never-ending search for some mysterious writing pen or some inspirational muse. Perhaps you, our would-be writer hero, believe that there are too many intimidating factors that stand in the way for you to become a writer.
In all actuality, the story is not the "action-adventure" that it seems. Really, the story is a psychological thriller. Most of the barriers to becoming a writer do not exist, except within the mind of the hero. (For, a writer is simply someone who writes; someone who collects thoughts and puts them down in fixed form.) The mind conjures up so many objections that our hero will never even take the first steps toward becoming a writer. These mental illusions, driven by fear, stand between our hero and the goal of becoming a writer.
What is the Biggest Fear that a Would-Be Writer Must Overcome?
Perhaps all fears could be summed up in the fear of being rejected. The would-be writer's own insecurities keep him from taking the leap, from scaling the walls, defeating the thugs, opening the vault, using the pen, and making it out alive again. He is trapped on the outside of the fortress, kept captive by fears, such as:
* "What if people don't like what I have to say?"
* "What if my writing is not so spectacular as to capture the attention of the entire world?"
* "What if people simply do not care about my chosen topic?"
* "What if my information becomes outdated after I write it?"
* "What if people become angry because of something that I say?"
* "What if people read what I write and say nasty things about my work?"
Overcoming
Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:
You have no doubt heard of the legendary pen that "freely spells forth words" and "spills ink onto the page in paragraph
by Don MacIver
Gaining notoriety and success in any endeavor, whether it be business, entertainment or any genre of writing, but to name
To sink my teeth right into the cliche, many of us who dedicate a portion of our lives to creating meaning with the written
by Lisa Beach
Intimidation indeed: look at all the famous writers that came before. Margaret Mitchell; John Steinbeck; Orson Wells; J.K
by Elton Gahr
One of the most dangerous things that can come from reading a masterpiece is the belief that you could never write anything
View All Articles on:
Overcoming the intimidation factor in becoming a writer
Add your voice
Know something about Overcoming the intimidation factor in becoming a writer?
We want to hear your view.
Write now!
Featured Partner
Takes All Types has partnered with Helium, giving you the chance to write for a cause. Browse Takes All Types' f...more
hide