CRUSH YOUR WRITING FEAR

Ever feel like your biggest annoyance as a writer is that pesky little cursor blinking on a blank screen? It's totally taunting you, isn't it? We've all been there (some of us are there right now). We can call it writer's block or we can call it out for what it's also known as...FEAR.

"C'mon Lynn, why would I be afraid to write my book? It's my book! My baby! I'm not afraid of it."

Sometimes our little inner storyteller of lies convinces us otherwise. Here’s what to do when fear won’t let you write.

STOP WRITING

You heard me. Take a break. Walk away. Do something else. Seriously, stop writing. Sometimes we’re just not in the right mindset and need to take a step back if it’s not working. Your creative energy is sacred. If you know what gets you *out* of it, it's just as important to know how to get back *in* it.

Create a playlist of your favorite songs, call a friend, go for a walk, make a writing gratitude list, listen to a podcast, watch a movie...you get the idea. Do what you need to do in order to recharge your creative energy.

RELATED: Crush the Creative Block Struggle

The Power of Your Creative Flow

FREE WRITE

Sometimes we get so focused on our character arcs and worlds and plot twists that we lose our passion and pizzazz. Writing just becomes deadline driven and nobody wants that.

Feeling like you're only writing for a deadline can be daunting. I get it. But when you allow yourself to write freely, without plotting or planning or any semblance of an end game, then my friend, it's a whole new vibe. Save your work (important!) and open up a blank document or grab a notebook. Start writing there and just let your mind wander. It doesn't have to be structured. It doesn't even have to be a story. You could just write out your thoughts, write a grocery list, write a letter to your cat who likes to lay across the keyboard at the most inconvenient time.

There is no audience of thousands waiting to judge you (except the cat).

IT'S ABOUT PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION

I saw this great quote not too long ago: Perfection is actually procrastination in disguise. As a world class procrastinator and perfectionist, I felt that in my soul. I’m embarrassed to admit how long it took me to start working on my 4th novel. Why? Duh, the fear. And the obsession with perfection. But you know what? I started. The book is far from perfect but it's the progress that makes me proud.

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