Are fear and anxiety keeping you from reaching your full potential as a writer? I have received many emails from writers that share a common theme of self-doubt, so I asked my good friend Bobbi Emel–a psychotherapist–to share her insights on how we can identify the source of our angst, as well as some tips on managing the doubt and trepidation that often come as you begin your writing career. It’s a bit of a departure from what I usually do here on YWP, but I believe overcoming your fear is as important a topic when building your platform as marketing, social media or finding your ideal audience.

You’re a writer.

You have great ideas and want to get your stories and your message out into the world.

To create your own platform; to build buzz, capture attention, and increase your reach.

As the writer you are in this moment, finish this sentence: “The prospect of accomplishing any, some, or all of the above is ____________.”

If you’re like many writers, some words that come to mind are daunting, overwhelming, or… terrifying.

(Were any of the words you considered exciting, freeing or empowering?)

Our Inner Voice

We all have an inner voice.

For some people, their inner voice is often critical:

“You should write better than this.”

“You can’t be a writer.”

“You have nothing special to say.”

“You can’t create a writer’s platform. Who would be interested?”

For others, their inner voice is often anxious: [Read more…]