IWSG - What Scares Me Most

 This is my Insecure Writers Support Group post for May 2025.

Alex's awesome co-hosts this month are: 

Feather Stone, Janet Alcorn, 

Rebecca Douglass, 

Jemima Pett, and Pat Garcia!

Please stop by their blogs and say thank you.

💻💻💻💻💻

Before I answer May's question, I'd like to post some information about Craig Martel's 'May I Write a Novel' writing challenge. NaNoWriMo is apparently no more, so Craig stepped up and created this.

I've set a bold goal for myself - 35,000 words in 31 days. That means writing 2,000 words/day on my off days to make up for the days I work or have something else scheduled. So far, I've met my daily goals all but once, but it pushes me to the limit. I might not be able to keep up this pace. However it turns out, I'm learning a lot about myself and my writing abilities.

We're already a week into it, but jump on in. Each person sets his or her own goal, so join us and adjust yours accordingly.

Excerpt of Craig's comments:
Download a graphic of your choice to put as your public banner (in the format best suited for you) during the month, updating with your progress - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cFoD0DnT4EjlIWJswhgQZiC7ciIjB0Xz

Use our supercool sprint videos from YouTube to get you focused and rolling with how much time you have during your day. Here's a playlist where you can pick what kind of sprint you want to do, whether silent with a big on-screen timer or with me and a big timer - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLncBZIdgLIpmlMZNlgZZ9YadOW_s5a9UA

Track your progress to YOUR goal in this supercool spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-rDFkyFHlu7DZuAWVU7HU9ZHvFkAYd7m_-o8l168icA/edit?usp=sharing

Invite your friends to join us - they should join the SIA, too, but if they don't, that's okay. We're here for all authors, whether they are members or not. The spreadsheets and videos are for all. https://www.facebook.com/groups/successfulindieauthor

I'll do a daily video in this group that we'll later upload to YouTube. [*Due to technical difficulties, it's now YouTube first then group.] Any non-Facebook people can follow us there (scroll down, the author stuff is toward the bottom) - https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessfulIndieAuthor

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May 7 question: Some common fears writers share are rejection, failure, success, & lack of talent or ability. What are your greatest fears as a writer? How do you manage them?

This is a really good question. It's central to the theme of this group.

Short answer: It depends on the day. 😄

Some fears wax and wane with my mood. Some have changed over time, as my level of skill has improved. A few are always there, hovering in the back of my mind.

I decided fairly early that I wanted to go indie, so the fear of rejection only applies to the opinions of readers who purchase my books. It's still a real fear, though. I'm no publishing expert, yet I'm making all the decisions.

Fear of failure has always been low on the list, at least on a macro level. I used to write short stories for fun when I was a kid. When I penned my first novel, I had no aspiration of publication. I just wanted to see if I could do it, see if I could handle a plot and a document that big. It wasn't until I immersed myself in the writing/blogging world that I caught the publishing bug.

Fear of success plagued me far more. I'm an introvert, so book signings and other in-person events make me nervous. The worst aspect of it, though, is meeting deadlines. 

Not only do I work outside the home, but when the kids were still in the nest, life could shift without warning and steal all my free time. I wasn't terrified of not getting a publishing contract. I was terrified I'd get one and not be able to crank out books on the publisher's schedule. This was one of the biggest reasons I avoided going trad.

You'd think, now that I'm chick-less and back to working part time, I'd be setting up preorders like a fiend. But no. Life still finds ways to steal my writing time. I'm still struggling with this fear.

As far as lack of talent or ability, getting good reviews largely put those fears to rest. I still have days when I read my WIP and worry that it's crap. I also wonder if a time will come when I tire of all the work that goes into writing novels, or if I'll run out of ideas.

Who knows? Maybe that's the real reason I've shied away from getting on a hamster wheel of deadlines. Having a business plan is smart. So is keeping fans engaged and writing series. But pushing one's self to the point that writing becomes a chore can be the kiss of death to an author's career.

❤❤❤❤❤

IWSG is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. It's a monthly bloghop that offers a safe haven for writers to express their feelings and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. It's also a venue for offering  support, both in the form of comments and positive posts. Writers of all kinds are welcome. 

We 'meet' the first Wednesday of every month. If you're interested in learning more, click on the link above. And don't be intimidated by the size of the group. We're not expected to visit everyone on the list.