What Stops Writers from Writing and Publishing Their Work?

Writers write. That’s what makes a writer a writer. But sometimes writers don’t write.

The difference between an aspiring writer and an author is that one has the desire to become published and the other has achieved this goal. Sometimes an aspiring writer does everything possible to become an author and the goal remains unmet; other times an aspiring author says he or she want to become an author but refuses to do what it takes to become published.

That leads us to an important question: Why don’t writers write or do what it takes to become published?

Yesterday, we examined what writers do to procrastinate rather than write and how this prevents them from writing or publishing their work. Procrastination leads to the same end, though; the so-called writer becomes a “non-writer,” someone who doesn’t write or publish their work.

Why does that happen? Why do writers say they want to write and publish and then not follow through? Ah…for so many reasons. Let me list a few:

1. fear of success
2. fear of failure
3. fear of criticism
4. fear of being seen (exposure or significance)
5. fear of change
6. fear of telling the truth
7. fear of not being good enough
8. fear of losing control (of their lives)
9. fear of shame
10. fear of being told they lack credentials
11. fear of being in the limelight
12. fear of being uncovered (discovered as phony)
13. fear of losing love
14. fear of being overwhelmed
15. fear of power or of feeling empowered

Notice something similar about all 15? They all start with “fear.” If you ask yourself why you aren’t writing, you might actually answer, “I’m afraid to write.” Why? For all the reasons above…and many more.

What’s the solution? Start working on moving through those fears!