Blogger: Rachel Kent
Insecurity is a common ailment for authors and it seems to strike strongly when a contract is signed. It is common for a client to come to me once the contract is final and need a boost of encouragement as he/she gets started on completing the book.
For novelists, especially first time novelists, it is normal for the first book of a contract to already be completed–but the anxiety usually hits when the author realizes that he/she only has 9 months to a year to write book 2…and the same for book 3. Sometimes the first book took years to write and revise.
Nonfiction writers are most often given a contract based on a proposal and sample chapters. After a contract is signed, it’s common for an author to second guess if he/she can actually complete the full book–and/or if the writing will be strong enough when the book is finished.
What should you do when you are faced with this author insecurity? Here are a few pointers.
- Talk to your agent! Your agent can also help you set up a schedule so you feel better about reaching your goals.
- Pray for peace and strength and ask some close friends to keep you in prayer and to check in with you throughout the writing process.
- Realize that your publishing house wouldn’t have contracted you if they didn’t like your writing style and believe in your ability to write the book and meet the deadline.
- Don’t procrastinate. Get started with the writing right away and keep up your writing so that you will meet that deadline.
Unpublished authors face insecurity too, especially if a book isn’t getting the interest it likely deserves. The insecurity might make an author feel like giving up, but you too can pray about this insecurity and talk with some accountability partners about what you should do.
Have you faced author insecurity?
How do you deal with it?
Becky McCoy
Yes! I’m pitching my non-fiction book at a conference this summer and querying if no one bites there. I have daily doubts if all this work to put a proposal together is even worth it. Then I wonder if I’ll be able to finish the book at all. I’m lucky to have friends and beta readers who keep pushing me along and encouraging me that the world needs this book.
Shirlee Abbott
Funny people we are. We pray for years for a door to open. When it does, we think,”Can’t be for me.”
*Let’s all take a deep breath and sing,
“Oh,oh,oh, we can’t turn back,
We’ve come this far by faith.”
Kathy Cassel
Both times I was contracted for a One-Year devo I started hitting a slump about devo #200 and wondered how in the world I’d find 165 more verses to write about! It felt like I’d said everything there was to say. But the verses were there and the words kept flowing. Both books were completed ahead of schedule and are on the bookstore shelves (One Year Devos for Girls Starring Women of the Bible and One Year Book of Bible Trivia for Kids). Now I’m giving teen fiction a try, and it’s a totally different world.
Lara Hosselton
Rachel, I’m curious, are you talking about anxiety over a nine month deadline to write book two and three within a series? My current WIP is a YA, two book series. The first book is in a final stage of edit and the second book is basically finished, but needs some revisions.
*I would never consider submitting a proposal to an agent until both books were polished, but it would be helpful to know the timeline a publisher might expect for extra revisions.
*As for author insecurity… yes, I feel it every time I work on my MS.
*How do I alleviate it? I pray, study the craft and read other books in my genre. In doing so, God always reminds me that the story He’s given me to write has the potential to earn a spot on bookshelves and in the hearts of readers.
*His word is my comfort.
Rachel Kent
Yes, for books 2 and 3 of a series or for the subsequent books on a contract.
Most of the time authors don’t write the subsequent books in the series until the series is contracted. You are ahead of the game. 🙂 If you were contracted, you’d likely have 9 months to a year to finish up book 2 because book 1 has to release first anyway.
Lara Hosselton
Thanks so much, Rachel! That’s very encouraging news for me. I feel a bit of a load lifted off.
Allison Duke
I’m in a write for hire contract right now and I’m pretty nervous about it. I haven’t been published previously and I’ve never written with a deadline. Plus I have a toddler at home and my Kindergartener is about to be on summer break. So I have a lot of anxiety because not only am I unsure about being able to write the words, I also have to work really hard to make time to do it.
NLB Horton
Ah, Rachel. We are only insecure when we focus on ourselves. My writing is the use of a gift from God. It challenges me, brings me great joy, meets needs, and honors so many diverse creations within Christendom. I remind myself constantly that my literary journey is firmly in His hands. Regardless of what happens, as long as I use this gift to the best of my ability, it’s an ordained path. Why waste time being insecure when empowered by almighty God?
Rachel Kent
What a great attitude and reminder! It is all in his hands.
Jennifer Zarifeh Major
People seem to think I’m all extrovert and self-confident.
That could not be farther from the girl I see in the mirror everyday.
I endure a bucket load of insecurity about all kinds of things but I am coming out of that the more I grow as a writer.
I have a core group of friends, and not just other writers, who I can hash things over with, and that is SO important!!!
My agent, Mary Keeley, has been a great encourager along the way.
And the very OUT OF THE BLUE things that God drops in my lap to affirm me as I press on toward publication, those always shore me up.
Sarah Bennett
I’m one of those unpublished authors who still faces insecurity. It rears its head when I receive a rejection or radio silence on a submission. Insecurity gnaws at my manuscript when the characters won’t behave on page. In face to face situations, it makes me babble and forget my pitch.
*If it’s a manuscript, I’ll walk away for a bit and reset. Working on research (read: Pinterest) seems to help spark some ideas.
*During visits, I use humor to mask my insecurities. Comes in handy and is natural for me.
*Emails? I give myself time to mourn. I’m not a machine. But then I pick through any comments or suggestions and move forward. Because, if I don’t, I’m one of the authors who gave up while trying because it was too hard. And Mama didn’t raise a quitter. 😉
Shelli Littleton
I don’t face writer insecurity for my contracted articles. It always comes together. And when the person I’ve interviewed tells me how much they love what I wrote about them, or the story I pieced together on them, I do the happy dance. They probably have no idea how much their words bless my heart. But fiction writing is another story. I think I’m taking baby steps at reaching some place. Some place to realize you never fully reach a level of confidence. But maybe a level of trust–trusting God to help you, trusting that the story will come together. And it helps when amazing authors are real … when they reveal their insecurities and struggles … you just know that this feeling is somewhat normal. But you don’t let it cripple you. You keep striving and working and learning.
Carol Ashby
Off topic, but Andrew’s having a really hard day and prayers would be appreciated.
Rachel Kent
Will keep him in my prayers. Thank you for letting us know.
MacKenzie Willman
Prayers, Andrew.
Lara Hosselton
Lord, please be with our dear friend, Andrew. You know his wants and needs at this time and we pray that your love and healing will touch him in a mighty way. Amen
Carol Ashby
I think some degree of insecurity is actually a good thing. It keeps you paying attention to what might go wrong so you take steps to prevent it before it happens. It keeps you aware that your talents aren’t of your own making. They’re gifts from God that he wants you to work to develop and then use for his purposes. A little healthy insecurity is the best vaccine against arrogance.
*The problem comes when we let that healthy insecurity slide toward fear. Fear of failure can keep us from doing all we’re meant to do. One thing that helps me fight that fear is to ask what’s the worst thing that can happen if I try and it doesn’t go as well as I’d hoped. Even more, what’s the worst thing that can happen if I give up too soon or don’t try at all?
*I’ve always told my kids you haven’t failed until you stop trying. Sometimes, if you just keep trying, you’ll find an even better way to reach the goal than you first imagined. Sometimes you’ll discover an even better goal on the way.
Lara Hosselton
I love your last bit of advice! So true.
Karen Barnett
And here I thought I was hiding it so well. 😉 I was surprised how the anxiety went through the roof after the contracts were signed.
Rachel Kent
🙂 You are not the only author suffering from this. And you handle it so well!
Peter DeHaan
Rachel, these are 4 excellent points for me to keep in mind. I’m sure I will need to revisit this post in the future! Thank you.