Fear of rejection is one of the bigger fears that aspiring authors struggle with and it encompasses a number of fears all wrapped up into one.
Every author I come across can give you at least 10 reasons why someone wouldn’t want to read their book or why they can’t write or why they have nothing to say to readers that hasn’t already been said.
They will lie awake at night in a state of panic at the thought of someone reading their book and not liking it, or taking offence to it, or worse, hating it. And even worse than that, they worry that people might even be laughing at them because of what they’ve shared or be angry and aggressive toward them.
It feels exactly like it did in school when kids would whisper and point and giggle at you or they’d ignore you, and you had no idea what you’d done, but you felt ashamed and you wanted to hide.
This is what it can be like for authors who are considering sharing their knowledge and their personal stories with the world. They feel vulnerable and exposed and they open themselves to criticism from the moment they push the publish button and start telling people about their book.
It’s actually a horribly uncomfortable feeling and as I’ve said many times before, it can stop authors from becoming published.
The fear of what others might think can be way too much for some people and while they long to be published and experience what promises to be the most joyful experience of creative expression through publishing, they fear rejection more, and decide they just can’t bear to put themselves out there in that way.
I have shared different parts of my story in writing a number of times now, so I know the fear well. I believe it is right of passage for authors to go through some level of this discomfort and I don’t know a published author who hasn’t gone through it.
So I thought it was an important issue to explore so that you can get it out of the way and stop using it as an excuse not to become published and not to realise your long-held dream of being an author.
There are 3 things I suggest to help authors to overcome their fears on the way to becoming a published author:
1. Acknowledge your fears
2. Embrace your fears
3. Walk with your fears
If you don’t come face to face with your fears and acknowledge them, they will have far more power over you than you might think. You will self-sabotage your publishing project and something will always stand between you and your dream, and you won’t even understand why or how this is happening to you.
You need to embrace your fears because resistance actually holds things in place. When a thought comes up, have a conversation with yourself in the mirror. Be your best friend and respond critically to your fears. Question them. Explore them. Are they really valid?
It can be a wonderful healing experience and you might be surprised at the solutions you come up with to help yourself push through your fears.
You can also talk to others who have been there and done that. You will find them so helpful.
Walking with your fears simply mean you are moving forward with the awareness that you are afraid, and you are choosing to move forward regardless. Make the decision that you want to become a published author more than you want to give in to your fears. Take your time and be mindful of yourself as you move forward. Then celebrate when you reach your goal because you have conquered your fears as well as achieved your goal of becoming published.
Well done.
That’s it from me for this week. I do hope it has been helpful to you.
If you want to become a published author and you don’t know where to start, please download our free ebook 7 Things an Author Must Know About Writing and Publishing a Book Before They Take the Plunge. It will set you up for a positive experience.
If you would like support and company while you write and publish your book, join us in the Authorpreneur’s Bootcamp. Find out all about how we support and guide our authors through the writing and publishing process at www.disruptivepublishing.com.au/jointheclub. It’s a beautiful community and we’d love for you to join us.
Authorpreneur’s Bootcamp
I will be back next week with another blog. Until then, look after yourself and I will see you soon.
Bye for now.