It is too often suggested that anyone struggling to get that “big break”, or even be productive enough to create the opportunity for a break, might be suffering fear of rejection. We hear it so much it becomes almost acceptable to simply resign oneself to it.

Amy Derby at Write from Home, discussed the issue of inhibiting fear from the less common angle of the experienced writer. We expect fear in the newcomer, but the assumption is that experience removes the fear. Amy describes her own personal fears and how she forces herself to overcome them for the sake of the practicalities of day to day life.

The creative writer faces perhaps a far more personal form of rejection than most professions. Our written works are very often our unique, individual, personal expressions, whether directly about us and our lives, or not. Rejection can be tough to handle, but it is arguably the most important aspect of a job a writer must come to terms with. Embrace rejection as an integral part of the journey.

Overcoming fear most often comes down to finding a personal way of making yourself do what you need to do, however you might feel about it. Most of us discover that the cloud of fear creates a negative view of reality - which is so often nowhere near as bad once we get up and do it!

In her post Amy goes on to offer some practical suggestions on overcoming any fear. But I m most grateful to her for reminding me of this quote:

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” (Ambrose Redmoon)

Other posts we found on fear of rejection:
Managing the fear of rejection in today’s world
How to beat the fear of rejection