So I was chatting with someone this week, and they asked, “How do you know what you are writing is any good? Why are you doing this?”

The truest answer that I could give, is that my brain has developed a story and I owe it to my brain to share that story with the world. Not everyone will like it. Some will definitely hate it, but I didn’t write it for them. I wrote it for me and that is enough.

I will not speak for all writers as we are all very unique unicorns, but I will speak from my experience. Throughout my life, I have opted not to share my works because I decided that they were not good enough. My idols are Patrick Rothfuss, Jules Verne, Robin Hobb and Brian Jacques. These people are incredible and the stories that they’ve captured are nothing short of masterpieces. So why should I have the gall to even step up to the base and take a swing?

Simply, because everyone starts somewhere. At the end of the day, I might not be as popular, or perhaps not get as far, but knowing that I’ve tried and put the effort in means so much more than wondering what might have happened. And I want to share these stories. There is no such  thing as too many stories. 

What I tell myself regularly is, “Don’t let your fears and doubts get in the way of your dreams”. Sure, acknowledge their existence. Wave to them from across the parking lot. Listen to their counsel … but do not let that rule your path forward. It works most of the time. Other times I sit there, wide-eyed, staring at the screen, whispering, “What have I gotten myself into?”

Then I remember that I am a Writer, a human who writes stories to fit my mood. If Fear and Doubt are chasing me around a parking lot, I can most happily change that story so I am riding devilishly on Geymere, my lion-steed. Imagine a lion standing five feet high with powerful claws and very sharp teeth. He has the most gorgeous mane you have ever seen. The ground shakes when he walks. Geymere, in short, is five hundred pounds of badassery. He believes in me. And I know at that point Fear and Doubt will turn tail and run.

Sometimes Fear and Doubt package themselves as Imposter Syndrome. I am sure everyone knows those moments when you can name every single person that does the job better than you do and you sit there panicking thinking you’ve made a complete fool of yourself.

That’s okay. Just remember Geymere has a fantastic sense of smell, and even in disguise, he knows Imposter Syndrome is just Fear and Doubt.

Last year, I read Untamed by Glennon Doyle. It’s a masterful memoir and wake-up call on how we live our lives. You don’t read the anecdotes, you live and breathe them. Doyle’s book came at such a key point in my life when I was trying to find my path forward and her opening story killed me. In a super brief summary (and wholly recommend reading the book), Doyle talks about a visit to a zoo where they did a “meet the cheetah” demonstration. The zoo had raised a cheetah with a dog so it would respond to behaviours and it was sad to see the cheetah restraining herself to keep pace with the dog. They watched the cheetah after she was released into her enclosure and the book discusses how uplifting it was to watch the cheetah in her own wheelhouse. Glennon Doyle’s phrase is ‘Be a motherfucking cheetah’ (not the socially acceptable dog) and I love it.

What I am trying to say is do not be afraid to try. Instead, be fearless. So many of us were raised to believe that failure is a bad thing that we should be ashamed of, but that just isn’t true. Failure is us practicing for our next success. If Fear and Doubt hold a spot in your arena, then thank them for helping you practice for success. And, when you fail, just remember that you are not in the arena alone. You have Geymere, the most excellent lion-steed.

Writing is such a wonderful, rewarding pastime, but it is difficult. It requires dedication, problem-solving, and a great deal of patience. And yes, it is so easy to see the obstacles as failures. A reminder to any writer struggling or having a tough day: you are a Writer. We write circumstances and hooks for fun. Many of us live in worlds of our own making. None of us need to be surrounded by every negative outcome, so take the time to write some new positive ones. Imagine the possible and the impossible. Create your own lion-steed that can chase your worries and shortfalls and remind you of your strength.