Not the greatest way to start a motivational post, but wait to the end. I’m going to tear you down to build you up even better.
The bitter truth that no one ever wants to swallow is that fear is an emotion you don’t defeat. You manage it. Some days it will be paralyzing and you will lose. Others you will stomp it out and conquer. It will always lurk in the dark waiting to spring up on you, trying to destroy your hopes and dreams.
It doesn’t help when you add people and negative opinion to the mix. Fear feeds on it.
My greatest fear right now is that NaNoWriMo is going to be my biggest accomplishment in writing. I think this because despite my best efforts I still haven’t been diligent in working on revisions to that damn manuscript. Sure I’ve been running errands, working on youtube, writing blogs, moderating my facebook, doing twitter, networking, trying to exercise from time to time too.
I’m not sitting on my butt doing nothing. I am creating a brand, building a community, and generally working my butt off.
All that work though doesn’t count to me. I feel this is a huge problem in the writing community.
I see this everywhere. Where someone will finally reach their goal and get published, then someone comes along, They say that the person doesn’t deserve it because they aren’t a good writer, and only got the deal because of their following. Then I’m sitting there rolling my eyes.
Writing is like any skill. It gets better with practice. I doubt my first book will cure cancer, make peace, or fix world hunger.
I do know that at the time I write it, it will be the best I can do at that time. I also know that in today’s modern world that it is really hard to get an agent or a publisher without an online presents.
I am sure there are wildly talent writers who go unpublished every year, in favor of less talented writer. However writing isn’t just about numbers, it is also a business.
Given the choice of a good writer with no online present vs a writer who can improve their skill over time and who has an establish audience who will buy their book, who would you pick?
The fact is both worked incredible hard just in two different areas of writing.
Instead of tearing each other down we should recognize that in today’s modern world, being able to write well, and balancing an author platform are both important for success.
So if you are a great author but you have no online presents that is something you should work on. If you have an online presents, but low writing skills you should look to improve them. If you have neither and are just starting out, then you will have to build up both.
You might feel intimidated and that is okay. You will get over it.
You may not know what to do, and that is okay. You will figure it out.
You can feel overwhelmed, and that is okay. You are not alone.
Here is another hard truth that I hope every aspiring author reading this takes to heart.
There is a word to describe a writer who never gave up. Published.
So if a fellow author gets to the finish line before you, don’t let the fear that you may never succeed eat at you. Celebrate the win. Let it be the hope and proof that as long as you don’t give up, you will get there too.
I promise to cheer on everyone on. I won’t leave you behind. I hope you reciprocate for me!
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