Scary Reality of Writer’s Block

Greetings Adventurers!

It is the week of Halloween! For some it is a time to have fun, dress up and watch spooky movies, others are already gearing up for Christmas and looking forward to the end of the year around the corner. This week I thought I would follow the Halloween vibe, and discuss one of the scary realities of writing I have learnt over my journey, and some fears I still face.

To be honest, my current story idea I am exploring was not my first attempt at writing a novel. My original story was about a hero who had no confidence, and it was through the long journey and gaining friends that she gained the confidence she needed to help defeat the antagonist.

I had planned out everything and mapped each chapter. Using Google and YouTube videos, I learned how to create character sheets and information tables for the entire world. From its vast history to the different races, magical beasts, enchanted gems, and intricate magic system.

Everything was going well, and I had completed twelve chapters when I ran into a hurdle: I was scared to keep writing. The next chapter was a huge turning point—the ‘no going back’ part of the story that would launch the main character forward as she learnt to deal with the death of another character, and to band together with side characters. But I was afraid to write it. I worried I wouldn’t do the characters justice, and this chapter would create a ripple effect of consequences across the world I’d built for chapters to come.

I didn’t want to write anything that didn’t perfectly capture the story or portray the characters as vividly as I saw and felt them in my mind. I was frozen, watching the scenes play over and over, but not a single word made it onto the page.

I was terrified of failing.

I was afraid of failing the story, of never finishing, and of never sharing the beautiful world I could so clearly see in my mind. Despite all the prep work I’d done, I couldn’t bring myself to write anymore. It was numbing, and I started to feel like a fake writer. My confidence was gone, and I didn’t know how to get it back.

For a few months, I tried to keep writing, but every time I finally got words on the page, I would end up deleting them. By this point, even my character had more confidence than I did.

So I stopped writing.

Writer’s block is a serious issue that most of us face at some point in our writing careers. It can happen for many reasons, but in my experience, mine was caused by two main factors: either I lack the knowledge I need, which I can fix with more research, or I’m paralysed by the fear of not being good enough. We often put invisible pressure on ourselves, becoming so consumed with ‘what ifs’ that we lose sight of the writing itself. It’s a slippery slope, and once self-doubt takes hold, it’s hard to shake the feeling of not being enough.

While I’m now working on my new project, making great progress with Project Shenanigans, I still have all my research for the abandoned story saved in a folder. I hope to return to that story someday, but like the character in the original story, I need to find my own confidence first.