Writing is scary - there is no escaping it! That is why so many people who want to write end up shelving their ideas. It's not just learning the craft of constructing a story that puts people off, though that can be a huge part of it. A lot of the time, it's a fear of judgement.
Although you would think that writing fiction would be less exposing than writing a memoir, it's actually equally frightening. Every author puts bits of themselves into their work, whether on purpose or not. It's especially excruciating when writing naughty scenes and your friends and family read it, wondering if you've tried those things out! :p
It's a strange feeling to fling pieces of your heart and soul onto a page, knowing someone else is going to read it. I'm currently in the grips of terror with the novel I'm currently working on. The thing is, I began it when I was fourteen years old - with no experience of romance other than British soaps and romance movies lol. Of course, the story is nowhere near the same as it used to be, but there is a part of me that can still feel bits of the innocence I had when I first wrote it. The characters have been in my head and heart for seventeen years, and letting them out is both exhilarating and horrifying. I'm at the point where I need to let people read what I have, and I want them to see it. But equally, I want to protect them. I imagine it's the same feeling a parent gets when their child has their first day at school, or leaves home for university. You want to see them grow and be who they were meant to be, but you also want to protect them and keep them close.
But here's the thing. When you feel that panic setting in, you have to remember that you took the time to write these amazing tales. And you deserve for people to know about them. People deserve to read them, because you don't know if you have the next big thing on your hands.
Feeling panicked about people reading your stories is perfectly normal. But don't let it control you. You never know, that thing you're frightened to write or publish could be a bestseller!
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