Writing Is An Act Of Courage

Is writing an act of courage? How do you face this challenge and deal with the fear of writing? We answer these questions and share 15 quotes on having the courage to write.

Courage is the “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” (Merriam-Webster)

Writing Is An Act Of Courage

The act of writing is an act of courage. A writer exposes their very being to the world when they create a work of fiction. More than that, it is a commitment – to yourself and to the process. It takes a long time to write a book, and if it were easy, everyone would be writing one.

There is also the very real need to have a good understanding of the tools of the trade. If you can afford a course, take one. If not, read blogs like Writers Write where you can learn about the essential elements of a good book by reading this post and clicking on every link in it: The 7 Critical Elements Of A Great Book. This is a good start. It will make you braver to start writing.

Sometimes, it will seem like the act of writing is the most terrifying thing you’ll do. Sometimes, you won’t feel as if you’re good enough to even pick up a pen.

Remember that your first sentence is the first step. If it seems overwhelming to write a whole book, start with an opening sentence, then a paragraph, then write a page, then a scene, and then a chapter.

It takes bravery to have the creativity to make something that never existed before you wrote it.

Facing The Challenge With Courage

If you want to be an author, you will have to act like one.

1. Write a little bit every day.
2. Have the intention to write, use any opportunity you may come across, and then see it through.
3. Write down your goal (whatever that may be for you) every day to remind you what you’re doing.
4. Carry it through.
5. Invest the time and effort and COURAGE, and who knows how far this will take you?

What Frightens You About Writing?

Is it the:

1. Fear of rejection? (Read 50 Best-Selling Writers Who Were Repeatedly Rejected)
2. Fear of failure? (Read 5 Fears That Keep You From Finishing Your Novel)
3. Fear of turning an idea into a full-length novel?  (Most writers agree that what they imagine can never be written exactly the way they want it to be.)
4. Fear of success? (It’s a real thing. Once you’re published, your life will not be the same.)
5. Fear of offending? (If you’re writing a memoir, read: 5 Ways To Write About Real People In Memoirs)
6. Fear of having only one book in you? (You won’t know until you’ve written the first one.)

You cannot know how things will turn out until you take that leap of faith and try. Writing is complicated and it is an act of courage, but it is also fun and rewarding. And you are not alone in your fears. Read these quotations from famous writers who comment on having the courage to write.

15 Quotes On Having The Courage To Write

1. I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.” ~Audre Lorde
2. I have already settled it for myself so flattery and criticism go down the same drain and I am quite free. ~Georgia O’Keeffe
3. If we had to say what writing is, we would have to define it essentially as an act of courage. ~Cynthia Ozick
4. The question is not who influences you, but which people give you courage. ~Hilary Mantel
5. Whether or not you write well, write bravely. ~Bill Stout
6. And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. ~Sylvia Plath
7. The scariest moment is always just before you start. ~Stephen King
8. If something inside of you is real, we will probably find it interesting, and it will probably be universal. So you must risk placing real emotion at the center of your work. Write straight into the emotional center of things. ~Anne Lamott
9. Fear is felt by writers at every level. Anxiety accompanies the first word they put on paper and the last. ~Ralph Keyes
10. I strongly believe that writing is an act of courage. It’s almost an act of physical courage. You get up and you have this great idea. Maybe you were hanging out with your friends—you guys were having beers and you were talking about something. You had this idea and they said, “Wow, that’s brilliant! Someone should go write it.” And you sit down to write it and almost always what was brilliant before, when you were sitting around talking, is somehow not so brilliant when you go to write. ~Ta-Nehisi Coates
11. Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear. ~Mark Twain
12. We fear that we are inadequate, but our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. ~Marianne Williamson
13. You need a certain amount of nerve to be a writer, an almost physical nerve, the kind you need to walk a log across a river. ~Margaret Atwood
14. I admire anybody who has the guts to write anything at all.  ~E.B. White
15. Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer. – Barbara Kingsolver

Some Ways To Build Up Your Courage

1. Start A Blog – you can start by writing short pieces about any topic you like.
2. Never Stop Reading – writers need to be readers.
3. Understand The Basics Of Grammar – you have to write properly.
4. Join A Writing Group – find your tribe of like-minded aspiring writers.
5. Enter Competitions – you don’t have to tell anyone.

The Last Word

Writing is an act of courage. Don’t stop believing in yourself. Writing is hard – for any author. But, you can do it – just like all the writers before you.

Source for image: Pixabay

by Amanda Patterson
© Amanda Patterson

If you liked this blogger’s writing, you may enjoy:

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6. 4 Ways To Kickstart A Scene
7. Help! I Fell In Love With My Antagonist
8. A Quick Start Guide To Writing Descriptions
9. A Quick Start Guide To Writing A Memoir
10. 37 Ways To Write About Grief

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