Writer Fears: Your Work & The World10/15/2022 The crowd is expecting you. Expecting a story that will impact them, something that will make them laugh or cry. Anything able to move them. And as a low murmur falls upon the public, a sinking sensation settles on your stomach. Days of researching, late nights of writing, early mornings of editing. How will your work be received? Showing your work to the world comes with a variety of unwelcome fears and doubts. The fear of a negative reception often keeps us from showing our work to others. I used to think that my work would never be ready for publication, but during the past months, I have put effort into sending my work to LitMags, speaking at workshops, and submitting to contests. And so, I have divided this article into three things that can be helpful to remember to get over this fear. Know when you are ready No one knows your piece better than you. So remember that if you are submitting to a LitMag or querying your novel because of other people’s pressure, the process will be much more stressful. At the other tip of the scale, perfectionism can become a barrier that keeps you from publishing. Perfection or aiming to please every single reader are not realistic standards. If you are going out of your way to edit things you have already decided on and reviewed, it might be time to stop. One way to realize when it is time to let a piece go is to take a break from writing it. If you come back to it feeling unsure still, go ahead and make the edits. Another method I like to use is to create a checklist of the things I want to revise when I begin editing. I add to it during my first and second drafts, and when sending my work to beta readers -if it applies-. Once I have crossed all the items out, your piece will be both coherent and satisfactory to read. Learn from your failures, and from your wins Fear of rejection is almost tangible for writers. And one of the things that makes it so scary is that it is almost inevitable. Honestly? Rejection can feel awful in the beginning. I do give myself time to feel sad or confused. But if I stay there, I will never see progress. After being rejected, I analyze two things. First, if the place I submitted my work to was right for it. Perhaps I need to try sending my work to other places for it to find a home. Second, what is there to improve? If you can, read the pieces that did make it and note how their authors handle themes, characters, descriptions, and more. When submit to a LitMag or contest, always opt for expedited feedback if you can. But just as you will receive rejections, you will be accepted. Acknowledge your win and celebrate it. If you can, speak to the people who have accepted it to help you note your strengths. Know your audience Understanding who is reading your work will let you know if it is the right place for it and will help you feel more confident. If you are submitting to a LitMag, make sure you read their past issues. In contests, it is always helpful to browse the web page of the organization which is holding it. If they offer workshops, try going to a few. I also suggest that you organize your time efficiently to know where and when to work on the pieces that you want to submit. As you might have noticed, I am a list-maker. So my preferred method is noting down the LitMags and contests of the month, with their themes and submission deadlines. Then, I check if I already have any piece that fits one of their themes. If not, I write down a one-sentence prompt to work on during the month. The power of community Writers face many stages of their process alone. Finding a community that supports them when they are presenting their work is essential. One way to find this is by attending Open Mic nights and doing peer reviews. Most likely, everyone who shows their work will be a little nervous. And yet, everyone is ready to congratulate and give constructive criticism. This is a great opportunity to learn from others. What I love about these programs is that they help you realize how you can treat your own work. You admire and make suggestions to others to help them better their piece. Take this It only makes sense that your work deserves to be admired and prided by yourself too, even if there are places to improve. Friendly Reminder You have done your best, you are proud of your work. It is not up to you how people receive it, so you might as well loosen that self-imposed pressure. Send that email, step on that stage, open your zoom microphone. Give your art a voice and a place. If you do not, who will? Paula Argudois a young planster with too much passion and too little time on a day. She has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, whether they are thoroughly researched flash fiction pieces or improvised bedtime stories.
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