Writer's Paralysis: the Fear of Failure

I am a professional writer.  I get paid for writing articles and literature that persuade and inform.  But my profession (corporate communications) is a far cry from authors and novelists who either feast or starve based on whether people like what these writers create and buy their books.  Theirs is a brutal and ruthless world.  I admire deeply any writer who attains any modicum of success.  I am terrified of the world in which they live.  I admit it.  I am frightened of failure.  I am paralyzed by the fear that people won't like what I write.  My friend, and brilliant corporate communicator, Robert Holland wrote so eloquently in his recent blog, Missing the Passion, about how easy it is for us to lose the passion for the craft that sustains us.

So why am I back, writing my blog after a long hiatus?  Last month, I finally read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  She is such a brilliant writer (although some would call her egocentric).  After I had read her book I wanted to discover more about her.  I checked her website and came across this wonderful article--her thoughts on writing--where she talks in depth about her experiences and provides advice to other writers.  What struck a chord with me was not her tactics for becoming a better writer but her philosophy on being a writer.  Gilbert said, "One day, when I was agonizing over how utterly bad my writing felt, I realized: 'That's actually not my problem.' The point I realized was this--I never promised the universe that I would write brilliantly; I only promised the universe that I would write."  


So while I cannot always promise that I will write brilliantly, I can offer you my very best writing and hope that both of will benefit from the journey.