Writers are by nature intense creatures. I really believe people who are creatively inclined tend to experience life, well, more intensely than other humans.
Combine that with trying to break into or stay afloat in a tough publishing business, and the writerly pursuit is not without its fears and anxieties.
So what is your greatest fear as a writer? A horrible review? People not liking your book? Obscurity? Paper cuts?
David says
It used to be obscurity, but I've come to accept that. (Or I'm lying to myself, and I'm still trying to accept that.)
Nowadays, it's fear of the effects of age. What if I lose the ability to write? Plotting, vocabulary, ideas, etc. That thought terrifies me.
Rick Daley says
My greatest fear is that I'll needlessly sacrifice something important (e.g. work, family) in pursuit of a dream that may not come true.
Amy Mullis says
Losing my sense of humor. As a humorist, it's crucial to make people laugh. And on days when I need to buy a vowel to file alphabetically, smiling can be a tougher proposition than trying to make the boss look smart.
Richard Gibson says
I write non-fiction, so my greatest fear is royally screwing up something factual that I failed to research adequately.
Anne Gallagher says
Success.
Anonymous says
I graduated from a swanky northeast MFA program; now I'm afraid that if I am pubbed, my friends (all amazing writers, if their work is somewhat inaccessible) will secretly be seething at my ineptitude, which isn't really ineptitude, more just an eye for the commercial.
Toby Speed says
I haven't seen my fear in this list yet. My biggest fear is that I'll die in the middle of writing a book and never get the chance to finish it.
Steppe says
All of the above comments so far in healthy doses leading to my emotional drug of choice, the heroin of anxieties, not finishing my current project. Somewhere along the line you know the project is ending and there's that weird feeling of satisfaction like a long car trip is ending and the timelessness dissipates getting ready to make way for the cheaper intoxicants of exhilaration and crestfallen silence. The world and its politics can never match the brain drugs I get from wrestling a story to the ground and sweet talking it into calling Uncle.
Barbara Caridad Ferrer says
That each book is the last book I have in me.
Carol Riggs says
Intriguing question–and answers! I agree with Anonymous about losing my hands or eyesight. I'd add Alzheimer's or a stroke that makes my mind unable to write.
OR, my first thought was having doubts about revising a novel for an editor, managing to improve it greatly, ta-dah!–only to have my computer crash or a thunderstorm fry my PC, losing my entire work. Yikes!
minawitteman says
My greatest fear is that people won't leave me in peace and that they will gobble up all the space I need to plot and plan and write.
Noelle Pierce says
That I will get published, and then realize I lost interest in the writing process (I'm fairly new to it). Or that the flow of words stops coming. Completely. Forever.
abc says
This brings to mind that famous speech from On the Waterfront "I coulda been a contender".
My biggest fear is that I'll sabotage myself. That I'll never believe in myself enough to really go for it. To give it all. To push forward through the doubt and rejection. That I'll get too sad and give up and then one day think back and be really pissed at that long ago Alison who coulda been a contender "instead of a bum, which is what I am".
Anonymous says
That I might ever consider changing my writing style and purpose to suit the commercial demands of an agent or publisher.
Briana Lafferty says
I have written several books (yet to be published) It is not about the money or noteriety, yet my fear is that my first novel will never be published. Why is this one the most important? Because I believe more than anything I have ever said or written it has the ability to save a soul.
lora96 says
Never being good enough to be published.
Rachel Menard says
Having a reading and laughing at one of my own jokes while the audience sits completely silent.
Donea Lee says
My greatest fear is that I actually, well…suck. Or my writing does. That I have this passion in me, writing's the only thing I really want to do and ultimately I'll come to find that I never really had a talent for it at all. There are sooo many wonderful writers out there… scary.
Hillsy says
I'll take the fear of being rubbish and raise it.
I'm worried most that I'm actually very good, and I'll treat writing as a hobby because, through lack of self-confidence, I'm too afraid to fully commit. This is especially pertinant in the "Look at ME!" society
Elisa says
I am occasionally paralyzed by the fear that I am just no good as a writer (despite my success this past year), or that I'll never write anything good ever again. This happens especially when starting a new project or in the middle of revising one. It propels a bad spell of writer's block, and often results in my having to psych myself out by giving myself permission to write a sucky draft (and even a sucky novel, if need be) that no one needs to see or know about.
I take some comfort in knowing that some of my favorite (and mega-talented) writers have this same fear, but it doesn't stop me from experiencing it.
Tee says
Not finishing.
Christine Macdonald says
Tapping in to the part of myself that left the stripping life – falling back in to hold habits – not moving forward because I have to look back so much.
Christine Macdonald
Memoir Writer
Helena Halme says
Bad writing followed by obscurity.
S J Bradley says
Thankyou for this post – and I agree that writers as a breed can definitely be a bit too 'intense'. You spend so much time thinking deeply about things, and immersing yourself in the inner life of your characters, by nature it's going to make you a bit weird. At least, I tell myself, that's why I have troubles in social situations…
Worst fear: probably that what you do is no good, and that nobody is ever going to be interested in it. A lot of writers suffer from this (I was encouraged recently to find out that even EM Forster didn't think himself a very good writer).
Caroline says
Indifference. Playing to the crickets. I'd rather inspire hate, *some* conversation, than have people shrug, or, worse, never read it.
Second fear is related — finding out that I'm delusional, and that everything I ever wrote was gibberish — so bad that people figured I was a loss and could only pat my head, say, "Uh, good job," and back away. Slowly.
Cue crickets.
heather says
Losing the ability to write something that grabs the age group of readers I write for (ya). I love ya and always hope I can produce novels they enjoy.
Anonymous says
Not getting published would be my biggest fear. I have so many stories to tell and share with the world.
Another would be that no likes the stories I have to tell. Eek! I know not everyone is going to like them, that's just how it is. However, if no one likes them, well then that just sucks.
J. R. McLemore says
Never finding my audience.
Bane of Anubis says
I second Ricky D's statement.
modicumoftalent says
Running out of ideas.
Amy
Anonymous says
Having to deal with readers. I'm so not a FaceBook, Twitter, public readings, author signings, gregarious kind of person. Just because I wrote a book doesn't mean that I'm anyone's BFF, much less everyone's. I'm offering my writings, not my personal life.
JD Salinger never published the many books he wrote after Catcher in the Rye. Quoth he, "Publication is a terrible invasion of my privacy."
Adele Richards says
That my favourite literary agent would leave the industry and go and work for CNet.
😉
misa101 says
To be a commercial success who is mocked by fellow writers.
dawn-metcalf says
To have the book be misunderstood/misinterpreted and know that I cannot possibly respond.
Andrea says
I have an almost paralyzing number of fears, but right up there with never getting published is getting published and not having anyone understand, relate to or like what I wrote.
Deborah Burns says
Finally getting published only to have my book flop. I don't want to be that lone writer, sitting at a table of my books with the endless stream of humanity glancing over only to have them continue on. I can see the thought bubble now "[Title #1] with fancy cover, what the dump is that author thinking? Who'd read it?"
Anonymous says
My greatest fear? That my work is actually really good but no one will give me a chance because I'm new…
Anonymous says
#1)plagiarism lawsuit
#2)zealot I offended tracks me down
#3)family I offended tracks me down
#4)forced to go on Oprah
Backfence says
Another thing that's scary is taking that big leap of acknowledging to people that you write … or referring to yourself as a "writer" when you are still unpublished.
The mere mention of my efforts to get a book published elicits subtle little looks or a snicker among some … let's call them "friends" (or perhaps not) and/or family members – like I'm manifesting delusions of grandeur. (YOU – a writer?) I am very selective as to whom I confess this ambition … So, I'd have to say that putting myself out there is right up there at the top of my list of greatest fears.
SWK says
That I will not be able to make my next ms as strong as the last one.
Dorothy L. Abrams says
My biggest fear is in being superficial; not that I ever intend to short cut or skim the surface but in the crush of daily living sometimes my writing fails to plumb the depths of clarity.
K.L. Brady says
I'm okay with someone not liking my work…and I've worked through my whole fear of bad reviews. I can accept criticism too.
I think not finding an audience is a big fear.
I also think people not "getting" my work in the way I hoped they would.
Or to have really put my all in something and it still sucks. (The worst).
D.G. Hudson says
Greatest Fear? Not getting published is probably the biggest. I'm not out for fame, but I would like to capture the hearts of those who like epic science fiction stories. I want my stories to be read by other readers.
I'm not out to self-publish for several reasons at this point, but I wouldn't rule it out entirely. I'd like the validation that comes with traditional publishing, but I've learned to never say never. Keep an open mind.
After all, what did they say in Dune as part of the Bene Gesserit mantra: 'Fear is the killer. . .', etc?
I want to be like Edith Piaf, 'I regret nothing.' If I didn't write, I'd regret it for sure.
Thanks for keeping up the writing conversations, Nathan!
TERI REES WANG says
Failing my self, by not stepping up and offering a full and clear picture.
I want to entertain, and impress my own Self…and everyone else.
Cheers!
K.L. Brady says
@SWK…that's a big one. Forget trying to live up to someone else's greatness…what if you can't live up to your own.
As I write a sequel to my first book, I look at the mixed reviews Terry McMillan is receiving on "Getting to Happy." It's like when you've written "Waiting to Exhale" where do you go from there? And can you live up to that…even if you write a decent book. Aye yie yie.
Keetha says
Indifference.
GhostFolk.com says
Yes, what Keetha said. Greatest fear is that I will wake up one day and not like writing any more.
Publishing is its own little turd bowl, but if loving to write goes away… well… casket time.
Kaitlyne says
Never getting published in spite of all the years of work I've put into it and having beta readers tell me they're sure my book will find an agent.
[OotoriJaz] says
plagiarism scares the living shit out of me
Sarah says
Never finishing a book.