It seems straightforward enough. We human beings are innately verbal creatures. Writing is just taking the language we dream, think, and speak in, and arranging the words on some paper or a computer screen.
So why is it so hard sometimes?
I think it’s because the same inventive brains that gave us Harry Potter, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Matrix are also fiendishly clever at dreaming up horrible scenarios that our writing will lead us to.
Shame. Dishonor. Shunning. Banishment.
And that’s just from mixing up your and you’re.
It’s often struck me that some of the most talented writers have some of the weirdest goblins racing around their heads during the writing process.
So in honor of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to ask the team about their deepest, darkest writing fears for our October roundtable.
Here’s what they came up with.
Stefanie Flaxman, editor-in-chief
Last week, in 21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers, Kelton shared a quote from Kevin Kelly with us:
“ … So that means writing stuff that won’t be used, but I have to go through the process.
“That’s painful because when I’m writing it usually isn’t very good. I know I’m not saying anything new … it feels like I’m inadequate … the usual fears that artists have. ‘I’m not very good at this.’”
I resonated with that one, but I think it’s a great fear to have because it shows you’re able to look at your work objectively — that you have a critical eye and aren’t in love with everything you create.
When I’m worried something I’m writing isn’t original, which is most of the time, it pushes me to be more creative and add more of my own voice to the topic.
Chris Garrett, chief digital officer
My fear is based around my usual anxiety about being judged, impostor syndrome, failure, etc. I have zero fears about the work of writing — it’s other people reading that is my fear.
BTW…
