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Get Over Your Fear of Publishing (FOP)

ebarrows • Mar 24, 2018
Get Over Your Fear of Publishing

Suffering from FOP? It’s a common condition, especially when starting a new blog, website or newsletter. I suffered from FOP when I began writing this blog. I was worried that internet trolls would leave negative comments on my posts. But as I started publishing and comments started coming in, I found that I could approve or deny those comments. So, I really had no reason to worry in the first place because I can control what comments are allowed on my posts.

When someone tells me that they’re experiencing FOP I feel a little sad. Sharing your thoughts and passion about a topic you care about helps people. It helps you gain a deeper understanding and you get to share that useful information with others.

Let’s take a look at some common forms of FOP and possible solutions.

No One Cares About What I have to Say

Why wouldn’t we care about what you have to say? is my question. I write about historical places to visit around the San Francisco Bay Area. Sure, not everyone wants to read those articles but friends, family, and people searching the internet for local tidbits do.

As long as you care about the topic that you’re writing about, you will develop an audience in time.

My Writing Isn’t Good Enough

Feeling confident in your writing skill is a huge challenge. Some people are just naturally fearless in this department. For the rest of us, this fear can be cured through organization.

For example, I started this article with an idea – which I turned into the title. Then I introduced what would be addressed throughout the article in the introduction. Each section has its own subheading which I’m filling out as I go along.

Following a structure allows you to feel confident that you’re hitting all the points you need to make to give your reader something useful to read.

Not Sure What to Write About

When you start a newsletter, blog or website there should be a reason behind that decision. It could be your business, hobby, or an organization that you participate in. When you write content for those publications, stay on topic.

Take it easy on yourself and use real-life examples like happy customers, a learning experience, interviews or event reporting are just a few ways to inspire a story idea.

Not Ready for People to Read My Writing

Don’t worry, when you start a blog or website, no one knows about it. This gives you some time to get comfortable with seeing your writing online.

Ask a few people to read it and give you feedback. When you feel comfortable with how everything looks, send out announcement emails and social media posts…push that publish button!

Have a Lingering Case of FOP?

If your finger is still hovering over the publish button, I’m happy to diagnose your writing project needs. Contact me at eva@evabarrows.com

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