by Lisa Jordan, @lisajordan
There it was.
That familiar coil in the pit of my stomach waiting to attack my writing confidence—fear of failure.
Every writer deals with this fear at some point on his or her career, maybe even quite often. When I felt my writing was close to the point of submission, I grappled with fear of failure of the agent or editor saying no and my dreams of publishing being squashed even before I started.
Even today, with six published novels on my shelf, another one coming out this year, and a contract for two more, I still experience that pang when it’s time to submit a proposal or full manuscript. I was almost afraid of submitting my manuscript to my editor or agent because I was already anticipating her saying no or it needed to be reworked.
But there are no guarantees in publishing, even with published writers.
I submitted a novel last July, and after a conversation with my editor, we made the choice for me to rewrite the entire novel with a new heroine and plot line. Once I resubmitted that book in January, I felt it was my strongest book I’ve written, and that book will release this September.
If you’re a writer hesitant to move forward in pursuing your dream, then consider these six tips to help you to overcome those fears in order to submit your novel.
- Look to the source of the fear. Where is this fear coming from? Fear of failure is deeper than being afraid someone isn’t going to like your work. For some, it could be if you don’t get that contract then you won’t have money to help pay the mortgage. For others, it may be you’ve spent so long learning the writing craft and you don’t have a supportive spouse so this could be your final chance to make something of your writing career. So, take some time and think about why you want to write, what’s at stake, and what is driving that fear. And make sure you’re not feeling pushed in a direction you’re not ready to go. Who are you doing this for? If the answer isn’t for yourself, then you may need to reevaluate your purpose of writing. Then talk to your spouse or partner and gather the support you need to keep going even if the editor or agent says no.
- Make a list of your successes. When I first started writing, I didn’t understand how to add the meat to the story. I imagined my story like a skeleton with dialogue being the bones. I didn’t understand scene structure and how storyworld and setting and narrative added dimension to the scene. Now, over twenty years after starting on my writing journey, I’m teaching other writers how to craft solid scenes. So, take some to reflect on where you’ve been and make a list of achievements to mark how far you’ve come. Those are successes, my friend. Create smaller milestones and achieve them. Once you see yourself experiencing smaller successes, those help diminish the fears that are holding you back from achieving your goals. And don’t limit it to writing—think of other areas of your life where you were afraid but you still overcame your fears to achieve success.
- Continue learning. One of my writing mentors has written over eighty books. I know, right? It’s hard for me to wrap my head around that number. One of the many reasons that makes her such a great mentor is she doesn’t stop learning. Even with that many books written, she still continues to learn so the next book will be better than the last. I know how overwhelming writing can be. Stop focusing on the end goal and focus on where you are today. If it feels overwhelming, take time to learn the basics or even one skill at a time to ensure you’re building confidence in your abilities. Find a writing mentor, a writing community, or a writing program like My Book Therapy’s Novel Academy that will help you to develop the skills you need in order to combat those fears.
- Find your passion. Are you writing in the correct genre for you? Don’t write to the current trends or what’s hot because by the time your book is released, there will be new trends. Follow your heart. What do you love to read? What types of movies or tv shows do you gravitate towards? If you love Hallmark movies but you’re writing a dystopian thriller, maybe you need to change what you’re writing to have a greater passion for your story.
- Exercise patience. Waiting is hard. So hard, but publishing is not a quick business. It’s challenging to be patient and you may tend to rush the process, which could result in an agent or editor saying no. Take the time to learn the craft, write on a regular basis, and enter reputable contests for your genre to get feedback on your synopsis and scenes.
- Follow your own journey. It’s so easy to compare yourself to others and want what they have. But they’ve worked hard to achieve their successes…and their failures, and it’s not fair to you or the other writers to compare yourself to them. Focus on your own goals and your lifestyle, then put plans in place to achieve the smaller milestones that lead up to your larger publishing goals.
Everyone deals with fears of failure in different ways, but when you take the time to get to the source, build your skills and grow your confidence, you will be able to risk failure in order to achieve your dreams. And if that agent or editor says no, then try again because your story matters and your dream is worth pursuing…no matter how long it takes.
His dreams can all come true…but only if his ex-wife will agree!
Jake Holland’s peaceful dairy farm is a sanctuary—one he wants to share with other worn and weary veterans. He just needs one more piece of land to start his program…and it belongs to Tori Lerner, his ex-wife. A collaboration could benefit them both, but with a past full of secrets between them, is there any hope for renewed love?
Heart, home, and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories with those elements come naturally. Represented by Rachelle Gardner of Books & Such Literary Management, Lisa is an award-winning author for Love Inspired, writing contemporary Christian romances that promise hope and happily ever after. Her latest book, Season of Hope, released in March 2019. She is the Operations Manager for Novel.Academy, powered by My Book Therapy. Happily married to her own real-life hero for thirty years, Lisa and her husband have two grown sons. When she isn’t writing, Lisa enjoys family time, kayaking, good books, and being creative. Visit her at lisajordanbooks.com.