How Writers Can Stop Being Scared of Their Own Voices

The biggest roadblock for writers trying to perfect their voice isn’t using the correct grammar, proper spelling, or consistent syntax.

It’s fear.

One of my college professors once called me out for being too tentative in a story. I was writing a review of the movie “High Noon” and after a decent lead, I just lost my voice. He asked me point blank, “What are you afraid of?”

It was a pretty heavy question for a 20-year-old who thought he was invincible and couldn’t imagine any other career than being a writer. However, the more I thought about it, and the more I worked on developing my craft, the less potent the fear of losing my voice in print was. 

I reached out to that professor, along with one of my literary Twitter followers, and came up with three tips writers can use to master their writing anxiety.

Don’t Compare Notes

Comparing your work to other writers can cripple your ability to overcome the fear your own words.

You aren’t going to accomplish much if you’re concentrating on what others have done and what you haven’t. You’re only going to lose your voice even more, and be that much more scared of never finding it again.

“Your own voice isn’t supposed to sound like anyone else’s,” says Morgan Pehme, my former college professor and current executive director of New York Civic, a nonprofit, nonpartisan good government group that aims to advance political reform in the city and state of New York. “If you are discomfited by your voice sounding different than others, and thus unprofessional or inferior, take heart in the fact that your voice is supposed to be different.”

“No two authors will ever write the same story, even if they begin with the same concept,” says Julie Anne Lindsey, a young adult fiction writer and blogger. “Your voice should be embraced because its what makes you you.”

Take a Step Back

This is the easiest and hardest thing to do for a writer. But there are times you just need to get the hell away from your work. Your writing voice, just like anything else on your person, gets fatigued. The more tired it is, the more you start to fear it.

When one word or phrase looks out of place, you start moving pieces around, and the next thing you know everything looks scrambled. Not to mention, you’ve now taken cover under a blanket with a baseball bat.

“A respite allows us to view our work with greater objectivity,” says Pehme. “It’s an experience that either clarifies its flaws, but, more often that not, impresses us that the piece was much better than we initially thought.”

Whenever you decide to return to the page—it could be two hours or two months—your voice should be refreshed and ready. And instead of wearing a Halloween mask, it’ll be wearing the smile of an old, trusted friend.

Confidence is Key

Confidence in your writing is everything. Errors can be corrected, tone can be honed, but there is no easy fix for sustained fear.

“Know that all writers lack confidence in their work,” says Pehme. He notes that a tour of the Rare Book collection of the British Museum will show how even classic writers like Shakespeare, Joyce, and Austen constantly crossed out and revised their work. “Just because you are insecure doesn’t mean your insecurity is founded. Writing requires a leap of faith. Don’t be afraid to jump!” he says.

“Fearing your voice as a writer is like an artist fearing their medium, a painter avoiding his paint, a pianist afraid to play,” says Lindsey. “Don’t fear your gift. Treasure it. Your voice gives your story its passion, edge, and bite.”

The process of finding your voice can be a messy and frightening one, but if you are patient and hungry, you’ll be able to wield your words ferociously, rather than live in fear of them.

[image: jjpacres]