Wait...It Gets Easier, Doesn't It?

On Saturday, I heard romantic suspense author Rebecca York speak, and one thing she said really surprised me: Even after about 100 fictional stories published, she still feels fear when she sits down to begin a new story.

Now, I’m assuming there’s excitement and anticipation mixed in with her fear, but just hearing her say that tells me that even the most experienced, seasoned writers can feel insecure at times (of course, York obviously knows how to deal with it, move on, and finish the story). But this made me wonder what other writers feel when they start their stories.

Okay, you all know it by now…I’ve made no secret of the fact that I plan, plan, plan before I sit down to write chapter one. But even if I have a 20 to 30-page outline of the entire plot and I’m thrilled as heck to get started on fleshing out the characters and story, my chest still tightens when I look at the blank screen. It takes me a day or so of writing before I’m relaxed enough to lose myself inside the story. Thankfully, I do manage to move past that terror; however, I’m really hoping it'll get easier the more I write. Perhaps it will…

What about you? What emotions rush through you as you start a new story?

Michele Cwiertny