I have two daughters, ages 5 and 7, which means– as people with similarly aged daughters will probably tell you– that we like the movie Frozen in our house. A lot. We do not even have a television, and I have still heard the signature song Let it Go so many times that I click my teeth to it while folding laundry. My husband absent-mindedly whistles it while writing computer code. If my 8 mos. old opened his mouth and ‘let it go’ came out instead of the standard ‘ah-boo, ah- BOO’, I wouldn’t be surprised. The incipient muscle-spasm in my right eye would develop into a full-blown twitch, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
However. Sometime last month as I was putting on a Frozen-themed birthday party for my 5 year old and buying her a Queen Elsa snowglobe wand that plays . . . wait for it . . . wait for it . . . Let it Go (because apparently I am a masochist), I started listening to the song’s lyrics in a different light. Listening and realizing that the words to the song actually offer some pretty solid advice about writing.
For your sanity and mine, I won’t recap the plot of the movie except to say that Elsa, the character who sings Let it Go, is for most of her life ruled by fear. She’s afraid of her own magical powers– afraid what other people will think if they ever learn about her powers. She spends her life hiding, for fear someone will discover the truth. Let it Go is what she sings when she’s accidentally given herself away– when she realizes that she has nothing to lose, that she can’t hide anymore, and can finally Let it Go.
As writers, I think there are so many times when it’s easy to be similarly ruled by fear. It can be as simple (yet scary) as having to admit to others that we are writers. Before I landed my first contract, I practically NEVER confessed to writing books. Ever. “I’m a free-lance editor,” I would say when people asked what I did. It took my husband’s tough-love approach to break me of that one. “This is my wife Anna,” he would say, whenever we met someone new. “She’s an author.” Of course people would then ask what kind of books I wrote, and I would feel totally stupid and always kind of want to stab myself with a rusty fork rather than answer– but of course I would (answer that is, not stab myself with a fork) in stammering, tongue-tied sentences. But you know what?
It got easier.
I’m an author. Even before I was published, I think it was really good for me to believe that, to own it not just in private but way out there in the world for everyone to see, too.
Letting go of our own fears can mean writing fearlessly, too– writing without fear that we’ll make mistakes, without worry that we’ll never be good enough or amount to anything. It can mean being bold in our story choices, letting our characters act in daring, outrageous ways that we ourselves never would. I’ve struggled with that one in the past. I’m not good with confrontation or saying no. Really, really not good. My husband likes to bring up the time I made a phone call for the express purpose of quitting a freelance job and wound up signing on for the duration of the project. When I first started out writing, it was hard to write conflicts into my stories– hard to let my characters speak up, start arguments, be daring and bold.
Or letting go can also mean freeing ourselves of the self-imposed limits we’ve placed on ourselves through our own habits or expectations. Here’s one of mine: I can’t write anything at night. That’s what I would have said– what I have said– for years. I could not be more of a morning person or less of a night owl. And my days are busy. No busier I’m sure than many of yours– as I always say, writing and homeschooling children isn’t really any harder than writing and working a demanding day job, which many authors do. But for sure I’m tired by the time my moppets are all in bed. I usually make my word-count goal before that happens, but sometimes I’m a few hundred words shy. I’ll close the sleeping baby’s door, take a deep breath, and catch myself thinking, There is no possible way I can write anything now.
But you know what? If I’m really, really honest with myself, that’s not actually what I mean. If I’m strictly honest, what I really mean is: I would strongly prefer to be eating chocolate and browsing Pinterest for cute DIY projects that I stand only a .01% chance of actually accomplishing. (We all have our kryptonite; Pinterest is mine). It’s kind of like going for a run with the jogging stroller. I live in a very hilly neighbourhood. Basically not a flat street in sight. If I go for my morning run alone, that’s no problem– I sail up the hills and the whole thing is enjoyable. Exhilarating. Add 20+ pounds of large, healthy baby boy to be pushed up those hills, and the whole thing is a lot more like hard work. It’s not that I can’t do it, but part of me would strongly prefer to sit down and wait for a ride. Except there is no ride. Same deal with writing. The only way the books get done is if I sit down and get them written. No, the world wouldn’t end if I came up a few hundred words short of my goal for the day– but writing is my dream job. I’m so, so lucky to be able to earn my living at it, which means that I feel morally obligated to give it my absolute all.
Now, to be clear, I’m not suggesting that whenever you feel like total crap you should always just push on and force yourself to write anyway. There are times when something is wrong but you don’t know how to fix it . . . when you’re pretty sure what you’re writing it garbage, but the harder you try and the more frustrated you get, the more garbage-tastic it gets, and . . . stop. Just stop. Close the file, go eat a bowl of ice cream and watch an NCIS marathon if you must, but don’t keep trying to force it, because likely all you’ll accomplish is to make yourself want to hurl your WIP across the room. But there are other times . . . times when you’d swear you can’t write anything worth reading at all, but somehow you open the file . . . and the words carry you away and you’re feverishly typing, completely swept into the world of your story.
Just try. Promise yourself that if it’s TRULY not happening, you can go and eat ice cream and enjoy a date with Mark Harmon. But you have nothing to lose by just opening up your file and giving your story a chance to carry you away. Be fearless. Be bold. We’re all capable of so much more than we think we are, if we can just learn to, well, Let it Go.
What about you? Have you ever had to conquer a fear or a mindset that was holding you back? How did you accomplish it? And have you also heard the soundtrack to Frozen too many times?
About Anna Elliott
Anna Elliott is an author of historical fiction and fantasy. Her first series, the Twilight of Avalon trilogy, is a retelling of the Trystan and Isolde legend. She wrote her second series, the Pride and Prejudice Chronicles, chiefly to satisfy her own curiosity about what might have happened to Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, and all the other wonderful cast of characters after the official end of Jane Austen's classic work. She enjoys stories about strong women, and loves exploring the multitude of ways women can find their unique strengths. Anna lives in the Washington DC area with her husband and three children.
Oh Anna, I do love this post. You are certainly lucky to be earning your living at writing. That’s a dream all its own! What writer doesn’t know fear at some level during the creative process. I certainly do lots of times. Sometimes, fear can be like a kick to move ahead (that is if you don’t go running away from it and get buried, as you say). Do you find that this all comes down to trust? Trusting that what you’re writing or developing is worthwhile? Trust the story, trust the characters, trust yourself?
Paula, trust is the key exactly! I just this week read Writing in Overdrive, and one of the major keynotes of the book is about learning to trust our own creativity and our own unconscious minds to create compelling stories.
With me it was the “perfect book syndrome.” I refused to let anyone see my manuscript unitl it was flawless. Not my wife, not an agent, not a publisher. Which meant, of course, that I wrote four novels without submitting a thing. And it took me ten years to write those. This last year I set a higher bar for myself. Finish a draft in two months. That’s after plotting for two months. Then edit for two months. I can overlap that work so that I’m working on two or three novels at once. Oddly, my writing has improved. I think the constant plot\write\edit mode is really sharpening my skills (he says humbly). My point is, I just needed the self-confidence to get the book written and “ship it.” If it’s a bomb, I’m already working on the next book. I see a lot of my friends who worry over the same manuscript for years, as I’ve done. Eventually, you have to “let it go” and move on. We get better by creating more books, and allowing feedback from all those gatekeepers.
Ron– absolutely! I think ‘perfect-book syndrome’ as you put it is a biggie for a lot of us. No book is ever 100% perfect, and oddly I think it’s only by accepting that that we grow as writers and produce our best (even if still imperfect) work.
Anna, thanks for sharing these thoughts. A recent experience filled me with fear. I received my first bad review on Amazon. I did what I would advise others to do. I read it carefully, evaluated the validity of the criticism and then I did not respond to it. The critic quoted a couple of lines from the first page and said, “Who would write this?” Well, I had a very good reason for starting the story the way I did and my book editor, who has 20 years of experience, thought it was a compelling beginning. It was clear the critic hadn’t read the book because there was some foreshadowing on the first page. While I should have just moved on, the criticism filled me with fear and self-doubt. I began questioning myself and wondering if I was really a writer. Then I realized that that’s what these trolls intend to do–tear down a writer’s confidence. I resolved to redouble my efforts to be the best writer I can be. Fear can be a paralyzing thing. We cannot let it beat us. Thanks for the inspiring post.
CG, I’m so sorry about the bad review. They happen to everyone, for every book out there, but it’s still not at all a pleasant thing to go through. One strategy I’ve heard is to think of a book you yourself absolutely love, go to it’s Amazon page, and then see how many 1 star reviews *it* has. There will always be haters. But luckily you’re not writing for them.
Anna, great post with some excellent insights. I’ve often said that writers (among others) suffer from the Imposter Syndrome–even when they’d be considered “successful” by others, they’re waiting for someone to pop up and say “you’re a fraud.” They have an image they must uphold. What we should do (but I’m still having problems doing) is let it go. Thanks for sharing.
I completely agree, Richard!
Every fear in the book. Most writers will have to master the standard list some time, including, if they are successful, ‘What if the next one isn’t as good?’
Until I realized how much time and energy fear chews up – without any return for it.
So now, if they come back, I write them out fairly quickly, and show them the door. Because they don’t HELP, and I have writing to do.
I may be the only person on the planet to not have seen Frozen – or have heard that song. My sympathies. Earworms are irritating.
And now I have to go deal with MY mindset problem: doing any web-surfing at all before writing – it’s always better to spend my groggy time on getting to work, but the self-discipline hasn’t kicked in yet.
Illuminating post – thanks.
(Fellow homeschooler here – though mine are grown and gone – enjoy.)
I actually do like Frozen, earworms notwithstanding. :-) We don’t watch many movies, but I liked the general message for my girls– strong women, love and loyalty between sisters . . .
Oh yes, it is HARD not to want to surf and browse and procrastinate first thing. Something that works for me is to write 200-300 words immediately, before I do absolutely anything else. That gets me into the story for the day. (Nothing magic about that number; I would do more, it’s just at that point the kids usually interrupt)
Shit- I wear my underwear by Depends every time I respond to a post on Writer Unboxed. Sometimes I feel very lucky, because it’s been over two years and I’m still working on my first pack.
Come on, some of you know what I’m talking about. What! You don’t know what I’m talking about? You don’t have those mixed feelings of fear and inspiration? Bah, I do.
FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY.
Yep, my mantra is a book title.
My triumph here runneth over to my works in progress.
I have another fear to conquer tomorrow.
Feel the fear and do it anyway– that’s the definition of courage, isn’t it.
YAH!
Great thoughts! I, too, have heard the soundtrack to Frozen more times than I can count, but this is one interpretation of Let It Go that I had not read before.
I think the idea of letting go of fear and just trying anyways is something that can apply to life in general. At least, that is how I see it.
I figured I needed to get something out of my girls’ obsession besides an eyetwitch and fixer-upper stuck on a permanent loop inside my head ;-)
It’s really true– fear can hold us back in every area of life.
Ha! No word of a lie, my 8 year-old daughter was singing Let It Go in the shower this morning and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since! Crazy how that works, huh?
Great post, Anna, very motivational. I have my share of insecurities, but am pretty good at ‘letting it go.’ When you juggle a dozen balls every day, you’ve got to let a few drop, just to keep your sanity. :)
Happy kids-are-back-in-school day for all!
Denise Willson
Author of A Keeper’s Truth, Meant 2 B, and GOT
That’s too funny, Denise!
Good for you for recognising insecurities and being able to let them go.
I haven’t seen Frozen but my 7 year old granddaughter said she wanted “to show me something” and proceeded to do a full-on performance of “Let it Go” with I’m assuming the exact gestures, broad movements, and facial expressions of the character. My mouth was left hanging open.
I was thinking in bed this morning that when I “let it go” I would put my first initials instead of my name on my novel, quietly publish it on Amazon, and maybe I’d be lucky and nobody would notice. That came from the fear I developed before going to bed that everybody in the world writes better than I do.
Thanks for your fun-and-interesting-as-ever post! It cheered me up over breakfast!
Oh yes– the Let it Go performance. We have them frequently. In stereo, with 2 girls. ;-)
We ALL have those moments of feeling like everyone in the world writes better than we do. The trick is just to keep writing anyway! Your story deserves to be noticed, I’m certain!
Yes, she has a little sister who has learned it also. Actually, I hadn’t realized it was about letting go of fear until your post!
Just exactly what I needed to read this morning. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Pam, glad if it was helpful!
Wise words Anna! And Let it Go can have more than one meaning. We have to learn to let before we can let it go.
I think that song really made the movie btw. :)
So true!!
I agree. It’s a great song, even if at this point I’m ever-so-slightly ready for my girls to let it go. ;-)
Thanks for these words of encouragement, Anna.
I developed the mindset some time ago that writing is a serious hobby for me since I don’t make money on it but I love it enough to invest 1 hour every day on it, even sometimes to spend the entire day or go hard for an entire week if I’m close to meeting a milestone. I suppose I could be building model ships, but instead I’m writing stories. For the most part I enjoy what I do and stay focused on getting better. But there are those times where I get in a snit and wonder what the neck I’m doing. Fortunately I am a freelance editor, so I get to tell people right now the same thing you used to, and I enjoy that because it doesn’t invite the probing questions unless I want to also talk about my aspirations. But when I sit and edit stories, as much as I enjoy it, I am reminded of how much I long to one day be a full time writer – an author. The word sounds strange to me. But nonetheless, there it is.
Maybe I need to see Frozen – I still haven’t watched it. When I hear the song “Let it go” I’ll keep this post in mind!
John, there’s a quote from Phyllis A Whitney which I love, that says, “Love the writing, love the writing, love the writing. The rest will follow.” It’s really true. Just keep writing and keep loving the process and your stories. As long as you’re passionate about it, writing is never a waste of time, never. Every word is a step on the road towards your ultimate goal.
Thank you so much for these words of encouragement!
I’ve never heard of the film or the song.
First, Anna – Let it Go isn’t just for little girls. My seventeen-year-old daughter thinks it’s the best move/soundtrack EVER. Fear is as much a part of the writing process as ink onto paper. When I name it and claim it, I’m more able to push it aside and write, or query that agent, or publish a new blog post. Thanks for the great insights.
Honestly, I hope my girls still love Frozen when they’re 17, too! That’s a great point– looking our fears square n the face is key to conquering them.
I liked Frozen and I love the song Let It Go. When I first heard and saw it performed in the movie theater, all I could say was, Wow. It is so freeing. I wish I could be that free from all the fears and insecurities revolving around my writing and self-publishing venture. I agree that it’s hard after working all day, be it raising children and keeping house or working outside the home, to sit down and try to write. I have never been a night owl, and my brain is usually so fried by the time my kids go to bed that no words come anyway. Most nights I don’t even bother to try to write, but you’ve convinced me to at least try, so, thanks. Who knows? I might surprise myself.
You really might surprise yourself! Let us know how it goes. :-)
Though I run in fear of the Movie Which Shall Not Be Mentioned and That Song, I feel you on the concept!! My spouse, too, did the tough-love thing, and after breaking out in a cold sweat a couple of times – but realizing the world hadn’t ended, I started owning being a writer. Thanks for the reminder – and the challenge to look up and see what else might happen if I have nothing to lose.
Thank goodness for supportive spouses who believe in us even when we waver!
Frozen fan here–for many of the reasons you mentioned in the comments, Anna.
Thank you for your thought-provoking post.
Am I conquering a mindset? Yup.
I held the wish to be an author for many, many years. To any one who knew I held this dream and encouraged me to pursue it, I’d say, “But I can’t because…” and I could supply a long list of reasons. Still the wish remained. I was driven to write.
To attract customers to now defunct website, I hired a web designer to add a blog. What I would post on this blog was a dilemma. I was scrapping the bottom of the bucket when I decided to share the short stories I’d written. No one was more surprised that my page views increased each time I did. That success encouraged me to self-publish and I currently have over 20 submissions–novels, novellas, short story collections and short stories, oh yes and a one-act play–sitting in slush piles.
Months before one of my aunts passed away, she told me, “I could have been an author. And if I was as brave as you I would have been.”
Her words caught me. Me? Brave? Huh?
What a poignant, touching story, Leanne. Thank you for sharing!
Ah, I’ve had to play Let It Go over and over for my daughter on the piano … and your lovely post suddenly makes the thought of it less annoying. I think what you talk about is more what I’d call a development of discipline and good habits rather than overcoming fear. It’s more the overcoming of inertia.
As to fears, oh, I still battle them. The fear of being just average, mediocre, hack, you name it. But I have to trust the process. Like you, I feel like I have the best writing and family life and I want to do right by it.
ps: I do love the ice art in Frozen :)
I think fears can often be at the root of not being able to apply discipline and good work habits. Sometimes it’s not laziness or inertia, but the fear that the magic won’t happen or that we’ll fail . . .
I love the ice art in Frozen, too. :-)
Thanks for this post, Anna. It comes at an exciting but scary time for me. I’m about to publish my debut novel, October 15th, to be exact. This after years of trying for the “perfect novel” as mentioned in some of the great comments here. I also saw Frozen with my grandchildren and should’ve connected re: fears in the song, “Let It Go” but didn’t. My protagonist in my story would get a lot out of your interpretation of that son. Best of luck with your writing.
Best of luck with your debut, Diana!
Thank you, dear one. I sat in my room today and beat myself up for not finishing my next to the last chapter yesterday. Or the day before, or the day before that. When all I had to do was wind up one single paragraph. But last night, I felt cursed with fatigue when I tried to describe the frumpy girl sitting alone at the writers’ banquet held in her honor.
And so I went into the living room and ate a coconut popsicle and watched the horrific news about the beheadings. Then I went back to the file a little later and tried again to describe this frumpy dressed poetry queen. But STILL could not get into it, suddenly feeling I must have chronic fatigue syndrome. And so I Googled “chronic fatigue.” Then went back and ate another coconut popsicle, and kept that up until bedtime, late, late into the night, without having finished that one paragraph.
I said all that to say thank you for the therapeutic post today. You made me smile at myself instead of repeating the flogging. As soon as I hit “submit” I’m going to finish that paragraph if it’s the last thing I do. ;-)
Hope the final paragraph cooperated, Debra! It’s easy to get stuck in that feedback loop of guilt. Good for you for pushing through!
I love your writing style, thanks for a great post!
One of my favorite authors, Jim Butcher, has similar advice for fledgling writers: Write like no one will ever read it.
There’s such freedom in knowing that it doesn’t have to be the Great American Novel in order to be worthwhile or a good use of your time.
One of the greatest blessings of being an under-the-radar author is freedom to pursue your interests and challenge yourself to try new things without the pressure of an audience.
Thanks, Erika! That is really good advice. You just have to dance like no one is watching.
Anna-
It’s worth noting that “Let it Go” was not the first song written for the movie. The Brooklyn songwriting team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez wrote several others that were cut.
There was a slot in the script reserved for “Elsa’s Badass Song”. They struggled with it but got the idea while walking in Prospect Park and discussing what it would feel like to be Elsa.
Elsa originally was a villain (the Snow Queen) but so compelling was the song that the script was rewritten to make her more sympathetic. The final film version was orchestrated by arranger Dave Metzger, but retained Lopez’s original piano demo track.
Thus, this power ballad (in A-flat major) is rooted in a simple understanding of character. What did it feel like to be her? It’s a big, big song with a knockout arrangement but a simple idea and single piano line is the heart of it.
Let it go? For writers, I’d say keep it simple. Build, revise, add and arrange at will but it all starts with understanding a character.
BTW, I have a seven-year-old but he’s a boy. In our house, the song of the year is “Everything is Awesome” from The Lego Movie. There’s no escape. None.
Great and timely reminder that it all boils down to the characters, Don. Thanks, I needed it!
Don, I had heard that, too, about the song, but hadn’t made the leap to connecting it to writing. You make an excellent point, though. Actually whenever I’m stuck on a scene, one of my go-to unstickers is to close my eyes and imagine a kind of real-time diary entry from my character, explaining exactly what my character feels: My feet hurt, I’m hungry, etc etc . . . Then from the purely physical feelings I usually get to the emotional state, and from there to what needs to happen next in my scene. So I completely agree- it all starts with knowing your characters.
Perfect words with perfect timing! I’ve struggled for a solid week on the ending of my WIP. I know where it is going and how it will happen. I simply do not want to write it! (I’m afraid I’ll not be able to put into words what my characters have already told me.) I’ve repeated a mantra to help me: “It’s not easy, this business of writing. But I’ve been here before; I know what needs to be done.” Unfortunately, my “let it go” issue is that it’s difficult to write it RIGHT the first time! Rewrites can be down-right brutal. I’m always thrilled (after multiple changes) to read the better versions, but the heartbreak of the first draft… Oh, jeez! :(
It’s time for me to “Let it Go!”
With your article in mind, I will sit at the coffee shop, early Saturday morning, listening to Elsa sing until I make it past these difficult last chapters. Wish me luck!
Good luck, Juli! We have all been exactly there. For me, beginnings are the hardest. It’s hard to sit down and hammer out a first draft of my opening chapter– knowing very well that a solid 70% of it will probably be scrapped in the end. But it’s all part of the process, right? :-)
I’m hacking through a draft, and boy, does Let It Go advice resonate. I have to ask myself “what’s worse? Writing it or not writing it at all?”
Absolutely, Kathleen! Writing it is always better. Always. Your story will never exist if you don’t write it!
That is an excellent post…and the comments are brilliant too. Encouraging. Hope inspiring. What strikes me is that more than one of you held back on calling yourselves writers. That’s where I am now. After my husband’s death, it seemed like the writing died with him. I sit and put words on paper or on the computer screen…trying various “tricks” like buying a manual typewriter and working from a prompt…the effort is excruciating. I spend so much time beating myself up for not getting past the first chapter of my “work in progress” that now I practically dread the attempts. But somewhere inside, I believe, is a writer. So, for now, I read a ton of writers’ blogs and congratulate their successes and dare to hope that some day I’ll be part of that club, though for now, I’m just not worthy to call myself a writer.
But thank you for posting these thoughts. I’m going to read it again and again…because I suddenly feel like I found someone who speaks my language.
Oh Bess, I am so sorry for your loss. You ARE worthy to call yourself a writer, and don’t ever think you’re not! You are writing, you are working to improve your craft, even when the effort feels impossibly hard. That makes you a writer– and a dedicated one, at that.
“I’m not good with confrontation or saying no. Really, really not good. My husband likes to bring up the time I made a phone call for the express purpose of quitting a freelance job and wound up signing on for the duration of the project.”
Oh dear. There’s more than one of us in the world? Poor Anna! But thank you for the laugh and the illuminating post. I’m amazed at how you fit everything into your life, including exercise. Bravo.
Yep. Luckily raising children has toughened me up in terms of saying ‘no’ a little more readily. Must be all those requests for candy for breakfast– like they’re expecting that this morning will be different from all the other 99 times they’ve asked. ;-)
And believe me, I don’t do it all, or even close. Anyone who doubts it should come and inspect my house for neatness and organization. :-)
I don’t have any writing fears, but I do have a beef with some songs, especially when they get stuck in your head for a long time – particularly “The Song that Never Ends.” I’d like to know if anyone here has ever had that song stuck in their head… UGH!
Ha ha!! Now THAT’S gonna play in my head for the next two hours. :D
The first time my significant other told someone that I was a writer I stumbled. Here was a man who’d never read more than 5 books in his long life telling someone about my writing! No, I’m not published, but I have clicked on that “post” button to enter my 1,000 word story in hopes of first or second place. My blog is lucky if it even gets looked at, let alone words posted expressing my struggles with writing. But, I DO write. Something every day. Whether it be just an email or a comment on someone else’s blog, I write. Yes, I am fearful every time I click that “post” icon, but every time I do, it gets easier. And when the time comes to put my “big book” out there, I hope I’ve traveled far enough down my writing path that it will seem like a piece of cake. I am a writer.
I must apologize, Anna, for being remiss in saying how awesome and inspiring your post is. I have never seen Frozen, or heard the song, but your interpretation of the movie and song is good enough for me. It’s best I not hear it as I still have the theme from “Exodus” rolling around in my head! Yes, I’m THAT old!
Writing and eating icecream at the same time. That would really be something! Thanks for a great post.
Yes, as a therapist as well as an author, I of course will say that it all starts in the mind. The stories we tell ourselves about what we can and cannot do, are very powerful.
I agree that sometimes we need to just do the thing we think we can’t do, and at other times, just stop and chill. With icecream preferably!
Thank you so much for a wonderful inspirational post. There are so many things that we have to let go of to move forward as a writer. I remember when I was afraid to say it out loud, “I’m a writer.” Before I was published, I thought that was a big fat lie. But a dear friend reminded me it was not. I write therefore I am a writer. Now that I am published it is easier to field those questions of “what do you write.” And I do encourage beginning writers to label themselves with pride.
I love that movie and song, but didn’t apply it to my writing until I read your post. I have been feeling a lot of fear the past few weeks, months actually, with a sequel I am writing. When I feel a flow, I am excited, but then I read what I’ve written and think, this is ‘garbage-tastic!’ Everyone will HATE it!
The more fear and negativity I draw on, the more FROZEN I get.
So, I decided to repeat a mantra of “Let it go,” and “It will come,” to help me loosen up and write without worry. It has definitely helped. A lot!
Thanks for timely post!