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Last night was the #TeachWrite Twitter chat on “Facing our writing fears.” Turns out, we all have them. I’ve heard Kate Dicamillo say multiple times (I’m not a groupie, really!) that she faces the fear of writing every day. Every. Day.
Writing fear is a real thing. It creeps into our lives at the worst of times and the best of times. And publishing a book is no shield from it. In fact, it may increase it. Self talk, “Oh, this publication was a fluke. No one will ever want to read another poem I’ve written ever again.”
Do you get messages from the universe? I do. And if you pay attention, you’ll understand that everyone lives with fear every day. What separates us is the way we deal with it. I am trying hard to get better at holding myself up and away from the fear. I love what Eleanor Roosevelt had to say about fear. “Do something every day that scares you.” We must do this because, otherwise, fear is the winner. But I also believe that if you are not writing in fear, then you are not writing. The act itself is brave!
Here are two of my favorite Tweets from the chat.
I told my students today, truthfully, that writing is hard work, and if it’s not hard, you are not doing it right. It’s important for us to keep writing (facing the writing fears) so that we can tell our students the truth. That nothing worth doing well is easy. Not even the greatest of authors have had it easy. Take heart, though, because once you have written something good, you know how that feels, so you are more willing and ready to do it again.
What are your writing fears? How do you overcome them?
Reflections on the Teche 
So glad you wrote today because this slice really speaks to me and where many of my students are right now. What a beautiful quote from Kate DiCamillo.
My fear is not finding the time to write or the words to say, so I face them as often as possible — which is not often enough.
I know that if I don’t feel like I have anything to say (which comes from fear) I often do not find the time to write.
My writing fears feel rooted in the assumed unspoken judgement I will get from others. Will they like what I wrote? Will they think it’s silly or nonsense, or worse, will they disagree with something I’ve said?
Such wonderful quotes and yes fear of something or the other is part of our lives. Regards.
One of the blessings of getting older is feeling some of that fear lift–or perhaps it’s merely getting shoved aside by the insistent beat of “If not now, when?” However, having said that, I still feel enormously vulnerable when sharing my work and have a tough time calling myself a “writer.” This line moved me: “Take heart, though, because once you have written something good, you know how that feels, so you are more willing and ready to do it again.” So true!! Thanks for sharing a wonderful post, Margaret!
Perhaps as we get older, we realize that making ourselves vulnerable is how we grow.
Biggest fear is that I lose the thought before I get it captured. When my thinking is scattered to the wind, and words tangle and lose direction . . . then fingers fumble. Stopping to reread what I thought and what I thought I said . . . sometimes making/taking that time is an extra step that I forget! >-)
Revising is the fun part. Making it all come together.
As a retired teacher still showing up for slice of life, my fear is that I am no longer relevant to this group. But I keep showing up and writing and occasionally I write something I really love. Love the quote from Dan Gemeinhart!
I’m glad you keep showing up. This community feeds me.