this, there are times when giving into that fear is probably the best course of action. Standing at the edge of a cliff with no rope, not parachute, and nothing to catch your fall would be a good example.
But what about those times when we are afraid for no reason at all? Standing at the edge of the gym, watching the girl of your dreams across the way while the perfect slow dance plays on the speakers. Most people can probably relate to something like this. Many people would stay in that spot against the wall, stuck in place by the fear of rejection. The funny thing is though, more often than not, the girl across the gym is rooted to her spot, staring back at you with the same fear.
How does this related to writing? In our situation above, you are your writing. It’s stuck in one place, not being thrown out into the world for fear that it will be rejected by the public (that girl) and your dreams will be crushed. Meanwhile, the public can’t wait around forever for your writing, so eventually someone else’s writing catches their eye (the quarterback of the football team), and they forget about you.
But what happens if you peel yourself off the wall, walk over and ask the girl to dance? What happens if you put your writing out into the world for people to read? You find out that people have been longing for you and what you have to say. Maybe they didn’t know it as such, but they found something they needed in your words.
Fear can paralyze you into not acting, but by overcoming that fear, everyone involved can benefit. Don’t hold back your work. Get out there and write your story!