A new year is a fresh start. While it’s easy to get caught up in the rah-rah excitement of a new beginning, it’s also important to acknowledge the fear that comes with it. Writers talk about the trepidation that a blank page can create, because both the possibility of success and failure are present in the beginning. What if you can’t think of anything to write? What if what you do write sucks?
I released five books this past year and the start was always daunting. It doesn’t matter how much I’ve written, a blank page (or computer screen) is always scary. I know that every time I dive into a writing project there will be ups and downs, creation and frustration, well-written sentences and ideas that I just can’t get out. But there is a trick:
Write anyways.
Last week I bought 100 ISBNs (the UPC code for an individual edition of a book). That’s enough for 40 or 50 self-published books. Even if I could keep up my current pace, that means I have ten years of work in front of me. Is that an exciting challenge? Yes! Is it a bit nerve-wracking? Yes! And that’s totally OK. Some will be good books…some won’t be. My goal is to write them.
Writing books is like living life. As you look to this year, feel the excitement and feel the fear. They are coming from the same source. The difference rests in whether you choose to act or stand still, and you know which I’m going to recommend…