Even Horror Writers Get Scared . . . of Writing

This is a great post about the fears that writers have:

Writing Terrors

I think we writers are our own worst enemy. The thing that holds us back most isn't the whims of the publishing industry or the bottom-line booksellers or the fickle reader . . . it's ourselves. We let our fears hold us back.

Yes, there are exceptions. You know the ones. They stop by the writing groups on Dec. 2 and say, "Okay. I wrote fifty-thousand words for NaNo in November. Now who do I send it to for publishing?"

But the rest of us? We wallow in self-doubt.

Three fears that niggle at the back of my mind:

Fear of being a one-hit wonder . . . which is ridiculous, since I don't even have a one-hit yet!

Fear that when I finish editing my novel (notice I said, "when," not "if"), the only way I'll ever sell any is out of the trunk of my car.

Fear of scathing reviews. I've already vowed I'm not going to read reviews. I'm sure, eventually, someone will say something and I'll become aware of a bad review, but I'm going to avoid it for as long as I can. I used to sell stuff on eBay, and you would not believe the Armageddon that ensued after I got a soft positive or neutral . . . and when I got a negative, my husband would watch me like a hawk to make sure I wasn't buying anything that could be turned into an explosive device! And for the record, the few neg/neutrals I received were because I didn't accept Paypal unless the buyer had a confirmed address. I stated this several times in every auction (in bold and red, even), and at least once per month I'd get some buyer emailing me saying "Paypal says you won't take my payment. How come?" The irony of the whole situation is that I was selling educational products, the sort of thing used by homeschooler, tutors, teachers, and parents taking an active role in their children's education . . . and yet they couldn't read and follow simple auction instructions? F-minus, people, F-minus.

See? Now can you imagine how I'd take a bad writing review, lol?

But my biggest fear right now is that I've lost my mojo. I had built up a pretty good head of steam and was getting published on a fairly regular basis (and had actually sold all of my finished short stories). Then life interrupted and I had to take a three-year break from writing. What if whatever magic was powering me then has disappeared?

Ridiculous, I know. But they say muscles you don't use atrophy, so what if that happens with the "creative" muscle, too? Or the "editor" muscle, so now my polishing skills stink? I know of one muscle that hasn't atrophied: the inner critic. Wish that one would dry up and blow away.

So to sum it up: I'm afraid of failure; but I'm also afraid of success.

Man . . . we writers are a messed up bunch.

What's the biggest fear holding you back?