If my life were a street you could pretty much guarantee there would always be a sign that read: Caution Road Work Ahead. I think we're pretty much all works in progress. That's life, right? We don't have all the answers and even though some times I wish I did, things wouldn't be quite as exciting would they?
Today I want to talk about writing roadblocks. I think most of us have them. Whether or not its procrastination, fear of failure or just plain ole self doubt I think most of us all deal with these little road blocks on our writing road. For me, it started with time. I've loved writing since I saw a child scribbling in my trapper keeper but as I grew up I worked a full time job and just never had the time to write. In some ways, that may have been just an excuse, could have been my fear of failure sneaking in, maybe a little bit of self doubt thrown in but at the time I blamed it on time.
Finally I had the time, and built up the courage to take it and started writing. Honestly, things went pretty quickly for me from starting my first book to my first publication but that doesn't mean I don't face road blocks with each and every book I write. One of mine is still time because even though I don't work outside the home, my kids and household keep me pretty damn busy. But I want it enough that I bulldoze that roadblock right out of my way.
I do have a confession to make though. With each book, each submission, each contract, and especially every book that is released I have a HUGE fear of failure. It's a hurdle I face every time. I get stressed before submission. Check my email fifty times a day after submission expecting that big R we all hate to see. When I get my edits, I'm always freaking out that my editor wonder why in the hell they ever contracted my book. When a new book comes out I sweat bullets, scared to death I'll let my readers down. For me, it doesn't get easier but guess what? I keep going. What makes me? Hell, I don't know. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment. All I know is I HAVE to keep going. I might fear failure but isn't it automatically a fail if you don't try?
What kinds of roadblocks do you face in your writing? If your not a writer, what about road blocks in your every day life? Your job? What makes you keep plugging along?
9 comments:
I truly have a fear of success. I always wonder what's going to happen when I get where I say I want to be. How can I manage it given to special needs kids...so I tend to stick with smaller pubs who are willing to work with my insane life. But I've vowed to get over it and just go for it. I just have to get the nerve to hit the "send" key! :) Great post, Kel, as always.
I think we all fear failure and the unknown....We work so hard to get to something and we want to see it shine...I know some roadblocks I have are trying to grasp things I am not good at when it comes to my craft.
I think fear of failure comes with the territory. It's like confessing your deepest fear to someone you love and hoping they don't reject you or find you a total lameass.
I've found my lack of patience a real struggle.
LOL... I worry about the exact same things--will people hate it?--and I have a poll on my blog about it... "Are all writers this wacked?" Apparently so :-)
My roadblocks are time, time, and time. I want my superpower to be Does Not Need Sleep :-)
Fiona Vance
Liana, I'm sure that is very hard but you CAN do it. I blieve in ya!
Savannah,
Its so hard to see what we're not good at but SO important!
Reg,
I am SO impatient too. That's a biggie for me.
Fiona,
It's crazy how we all have the same fears. Time is a hard one.
My biggest road block is still time, what with everything else I have going on. But now that I'm published, I also have this fear that won't be able to keep up - it's close to the fear of failure, but not quite. Now I feel like I need to promote and get that next book out there ASAP, and I'd like to do more blogging....and will I be able to, or will it just wash me under?
Elle Parker
http://elleparkerbooks.blogspot.com/
My biggest fear is that my writing will just be dull or boring. A cardboard cutout. I have nightmares that my readers will simply stop buying my books. That I'll one day wake up and find my editors, agent, readers, writing friends gone and I'm just sitting in a room, alone, frantically writing in a desperate attempt to get it all back.
And we thought getting published was the hard part! LOL
Work and myself. Both roadblocks and both requiring battering rams.
Post a Comment