Many people who want to write a book are held back by fear–of not being able to finish; of how the book will be judged; of being “found out.” These are common experiences. If you have any of these fears, do not berate yourself.

If you’ve never written a book, it’s a mysterious and daunting undertaking. Your discomfort is natural. And you can use it to help you move forward in the book-writing process. Here are two things you might consider doing:

  1. Make a list of all the benefits you will gain by having a book published. Do it quickly, without thinking about it. List as many as you can.

    Next, make a list of all the good things that WON’T happen if you DON’T publish a book.

    Finally, list your fears, on a separate piece of paper.

    Now consider each fear. What will happen if it is realized? And what will happen if the opposite occurs? Write down those “good opposites” for each fear.

    Before each writing session, review your lists. Remind yourself of the benefits of publishing a book, and what you’ll miss if you don’t. Then go through your list of fears, asking yourself, “How will I feel if this happens?” And immediately after thinking about the answer to that question, ask yourself, “And how will I feel if this (“good opposite) happens?” Then move ahead.

    Every time a fear arises, take a moment to consider it. Then consider its opposite, and move ahead.

  2. Get a copy of my book about my “Simple Secret.” (It’s free.) Read it through, then follow the simple steps. It is a method with small and easy-to-implement steps. Just commit to doing each step, then the next, then the next. Your book will be done before you know it, and you won’t give yourself a chance to be discouraged by fears.

Filed under: book writing

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