Do you suffer from inertia? Do you set writing goals and simply not take action on them? Are you passionate? Do you feel a sense of purpose? But do you just never get started?
It’s time to get really honest.
There are two reasons I think writers don’t take action on their writing goals (me included):
1. lack of desire
2 fear
Let’s look at lack of desire first. I know you are probably saying, “Hey! I have lots of desire to write my book, essay, article, or whatever. I’m passionate about it. It’s my purpose!” Yeah, right. Then why the heck aren’t you doing it? Ask yourself if you really, really, really want to write that book, essay, article, or whatever. Or would you rather talk about it. Does it feel like too much work? Do you really not like writing? Be honest. Or have you lost your love for your subject matter while you’ve been saying you want to do it (and not doing it)? Are you lazy? Maybe you really don’t want to do it–even though you say you do.
Or you are afraid to do it. Or you are afraid about something related to doing it. You are afraid you :
- can’t do it
- aren’t good enough to do it
- will fail
- will get rejected
- can’t deal with the notoriety
- don’t know enough about technology
- will crumble under pressure
- won’t promote your book
- will disappoint someone
- and on and on and on…
Underneath your inertia lies some lack of desire or fear or both. Period. Or else you’d be getting up each morning raring to get to work on your writing project. So which is it?
Once you know, you have three choices.
- Find something you want to write about.
- Decide not to be a writer.
- Move through your fear.
What’s your decision?
Photo courtesy of graur razvan ionut
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