I know so many aspiring authors who are paralyzed by the fear that they aren’t good enough.
They spend their time worrying that their prose style just doesn’t hack it, their story-telling chops are weak, they’ve chosen the wrong point of view, they should have gone with the other story idea, etc.
etc.
They’re so worried they aren’t good enough that when faced with adversity in the form of beta reader feedback, critique group comments, or recommended editorial revisions, they utterly crumble under the pressure.
The suggestion that changes might need to be made to their writing seems to confirm their deepest darkest fears of inadequacy. Of course, sometimes the harshest criticism doesn’t even come from real people, but rather
the imaginary voices inside their own heads telling them they are destined for failure.
The irony is that these writers do indeed have a major obstacle preventing them from becoming a success, but it’s NOT the thing they spend all their time worrying about.
The problem isn’t that they aren’t good enough.
Your pal in writing,
Kevin T. Johns, writing coach
