5 Writing Fears and 5 Fixes to Stop Procrastinating Now

You Are Stronger Than Fear

Wouldn’t it be nice if we lived our lives without fear? If we sat down to write without an ounce of procrastination beforehand? We could begin and end in peace, words flowing from our minds through our fingertips and onto a white page. 

It seems too good to be true, doesn’t it?

It may be, but it’s not off the table. There is a way to combat your fear so writing may run free. Imagine that: A writing life unstopped by fear, unhindered by procrastination. 

Yet, what tool is strong enough to accomplish the task? 

First, you must recognize fear as fear, and procrastination as a result of fear. 

Second, you must identify the cause of fear, and prescribe the right remedy. Below I’ll go through 5 common causes for fear, and how you can overcome them. 

By the end of this post you will be able to combat fear with skill and continually move forward in your writing life.

5 Common Causes for Procrastination, and How to Stop Procrastinating

1. Fear of Not Writing Well

Do you doubt your abilities of writing well? If you are procrastinating on a project, it is possible your fear is of not writing well. You want to do your idea justice— write as well as you imagine in your head—but you are not sure you have the ability.

You fear writing a lackluster piece and failing to do your work justice. Perhaps, you think, with more learning you will eventually be ready. 

Your fear is valid. But it is not practical. 

You can learn about writing as much as you want, but to write how you want to write you must do just that—write. Let go of the expectations hindering your start and try. 

Write what you have been procrastinating to start.

 Chances are, it won’t be as bad as you fear. And if it is, know you had to write what you did to get the skill you want to have. Being a writer is a journey from writing crap to writing acceptable material, and eventually to stunning works of art. 

The process to become the writer you desire to be is worth all the crap you could write. 

Become the writer you wish to be by writing now.

2. The Unknown

One of the most universal fears—treading into unknown territory—is enough to stop anyone in their tracks. And why not? You don’t know how to do what you’ve never done. You could make mistakes—in fact, you will make mistakes. 

Fear of the unknown is something you could not recognize at first glance, because your procrastination could look like productivity. If you are working but are not taking any steps forward in your career, then consider if what you fear is the unknown.

If so, then here are the steps you must take now:

1. Learn as much as you can about what you don’t know.

2. Make an action plan. 

3. Put in place your action plan whether or not you feel ready. 

The more you know, the less unknown the uncharted territory becomes. With knowledge you can build a plan—an essential part of any project. 

And perhaps most importantly, you must start traveling onward even if you do not feel secure. 

If you are waiting for the perfect time, you will never start. You will never know enough to feel comfortable or to not make mistakes. 

Every writer before you has made mistakes and have had to journey through uncharted territory. Don’t fear what might happen. You will never know until you try, and most likely once you start it won’t be as scary or impossible as you thought.  

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3. What Will People Think? 

No one likes to be told their doing something wrong, or that their message sucks. We fear the opinions of others because we want to be accepted into social circles. We want to be loved. 

However, to make a splash in the world, you cannot write for everyone. There will be those who love what you share, and others who dislike it (and may be vocal about their dislike). 

If you truly wish to make a difference, then you will need to work through this fear by holding tight to your integrity and publish. 

4. Will Anyone Notice? 

In relation, what if no one even reads or relates to what you write?

If you are passionate about your message, and your message is clear and focused, I have a hard time believing you won’t find your audience. 

You need to be the voice for those who have not spoken. You need to spread your work through various outlets so people will find you. 

If you put in the work, you will find an audience—your audience. 

5. Will You Do it Right? 

What if you put in all the work, move forward into the unknown, and gain an audience, only to discover what you are writing about isn’t what you want to be writing about? 

That is scary. Shouldn’t we wait until we have everything figured out before we start  the journey of building a career? What if we make an irrevocable mistake, and ruin our chances of success forever? 

This fear is a whopper. A gigantic storm cloud threatening to break and drench us in mind-freezing fear. But we can’t let the weight keep our boots glued to the ground.  

I can guarantee you will make mistakes and feel like you don’t have it together. 

But the truth is, your message will evolve and change as you build your career. 

And that’s okay. 

It’s how life works—ever-changing as you grow.  

To get to your destination you must first travel the road, and on that road will happen events which will shape you. Where you start at the beginning and where you end up will be different—and sometimes in such a way you could have never imagined what your life would become. 

If you wait for assurance of success, you will never have success. A succeeder sets out on their journey with an idea of where they want to be, by the bravery of taking whatever comes their way, shifting their perspectives when called, and continuing the trek until they reach their heights. 

You must start when you don’t feel ready, because then you will find your voice. 

We Are Stronger

Fear is a fierce enemy, but it isn’t stronger than us. If we keep fear in perspective in our minds and not let it take too firm a hold on our feelings, we can work through those tough writing days. 

If you find yourself procrastinating, go through this list and diagnose your fear. Once you know what you fear, you will then know how to combat the fear. 

Be brave in your fear, be strong, and always remember to write what you need, what you are passionate about, and the truth of life. 

Featured Photo by BRUNO CERVERA on Unsplash