Fear, Epics and Starting Out as a Writer

So I've just got back from my lovely week in the sun. Now back to reality (and video making - but don't get me started on that, much harder than it looks!). I devoured Brandon Sanderson's Reckoners novels while I was away: Steelheart and Firefight. They are amazing. Basically about a world where a strange red star appeared in the sky one day and started turning some ordinary people into evil 'superheroes' or Epics. The Epics are power mad and rule the people by fear.

It got me thinking, about how many of us, and how often we rule ourselves by fear. How often do we not doing something because we're scared it won't work out? (I am very guilty of this being a perfectionist!). And life is scary, especially going into the unknown or putting yourself out on a limb. But letting ourselves be ruled by fear - not good. Sometimes we just have to swallow it (easier said than done I know), push past it, take a chance and just see what happens...

As writer's putting ourselves out there is very scary, especially at first. What wil people think? What if they don't like it? How many people want to be a successful writer and fail. How will I succeed? Etc. etc. I think any writer that says they never had any fears is either lying or a complete narcissist! I certainly do but I am determined to not let that fear rule me. I'm going to silence the 'Epic' in my head. There will always be critics, there will always be people who think what you're doing is stupid or that you can't write, or that your story is ridiculous. But those aren't your people, and that's ok, because there will be others who will be your people, who will love what you do. Time to focus them and on the good things, the exciting things and not be ruled by the fear... Life is too short.