“Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?”
“Supposing it didn’t,” said Pooh after careful thought.
Piglet was comforted by this.

~A. A. Milne

 

What's the most crippling, limiting emotion a writer can experience?

Fear.

Fear keeps us from thinking we're genuine writers. It stops us from beginning the next project. It keeps us from writing the next paragraph, finishing a work in progress, or releasing a novel without a thousand revisions. Forget it. Fear cripples.

Will George R. R. Martin finish the series A Song of Ice and Fire? Apparently not. Millions of fans wonder why he hasn’t. Is he satisfied that the series is finished? Does he have enough money to where he no longer feels he needs to finish? Or is he afraid? Afraid it won’t be as good as the others. Afraid that when the series is over, he’ll somehow be done as well? Just think about all the possible ways he could be frightened, and then look at yourself.

As a writer, what are your fears? That you don’t have enough time in the day? That you’re not as good as all the other writers out there? That your mom will hate the book or that all her friends will laugh at your pitiful efforts at being a grownup?

I think Winnie the Pooh has it right. Suppose it doesn’t? Suppose you put your book on the market, and the tree doesn’t fall on your head?

Suppose you sit down at your computer, and instead of staring at a blank page, you surprise yourself and crank out 2000 words in an hour or two.

Suppose your mother loves your work, or better yet, suppose she hates it, but even though she hates it, the rest of the world loves it, and she and her friends begin looking at you with different eyes. They start to see that, yes, you can be a writer.

Fear is powerless unless you give it power. Allow yourself to be a fool. It’s actually kind of fun and freeing. I think that’s why people enjoy drinking. Alcohol gives them an excuse to be foolish.

So, take charge of your emotions without relying on external crutches. Tell fear to take a hike and do whatever that fear has been telling you not to do.

Write, publish, and start again.

And when that fear rears its ugly head, just say to yourself, “Supposing it didn’t?”

Remember...

“An artist discovers his genius the day he dares not to please.”

~Malreaux

©Alison Naomi Holt 2025