Google “self-doubt in writing” and you will be bombarded with countless results helping you move beyond your doubts and fears in order to get back on track with your writing. In fact, the very source you are reading now has given advice on conquering fears and overcoming writer’s block. To be quite honest, there is a lot of really good advice here on our website AND out there. But, instead of pouring through article after article, most of the advice can be condensed down to a few concepts. A writer should never forget for instance, that:
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it’s important to cultivate confidence surrounding your writing process instead of dwelling on the number of words on a page
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each struggle—failures even—are an opportunity for growth as you move through your work
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you should celebrate successes and learn to build yourself up when writing isn’t coming easily
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it’s vital to remember that what you’re doing IS hard and IS a work in progress—literally—so allow yourself some grace
All sound advice. But what happens when it is not the writing that is the block, but what comes after? For many of us, writing is the fun part; it is why we got into, well, writing. The getting down of ideas, the creative process, and seeing a story come together and come alive on the page—that is what gives us the thrill—what makes us happy. And yet, there is more to the writing process than just writing.
What comes after can be just as scary and just as much of a challenge as the initial creativity. The self-doubt that shifts from the writing of the book to the value of your book. Who will read my book? Who will want to read my book? Why did I spend my time and energy creating…this?
Let’s get one thing straight: your book matters. The stories that you have created and the ideas that you are ready to put out into the world all matter. Before others can begin to see the value in your work, you must see it first for what it is, a piece of you. A vulnerability and aspect of yourself that you have created for others. And that alone has value. It can never be taken away.
And when it comes to family or legacy memoirs, you are giving your family and future generations the ability to remember and connect with a past that few are able to experience. If you are writing a leadership or business book, it is your unique expertise and experience that offers value to others. A personal memoir provides a blueprint to others using the obstacles and triumphs of your life as a guide. That value has the potential to change lives.
It is true that few authors make it to the New York Times Best Seller list. Finding an agent and getting your book traditionally published is a tall order, let alone bringing in the kind of imagined money you feel your book is worth. Will there be a monetary value to your book, absolutely—but that is not to say that money is the primary value. There is so much more to your story than sales. Sales will come, but the value is already there.
