Sometimes, when I write, I get nervous about what my readers will think if I decide to change the course of the story. They won’t know what changes were made unless I tell them. The draft may not convey the same story. Why concern yourself with future opinions? These are reasons you can’t write.

Comparison 

Seeing how you measure against other people in your field is natural. Growing requires reading the work of  others. Novice writers make themselves feel bad because they read a scene from their favorite author’s and repeat those techniques. 

Then, the self-doubt kicks in if your prose isn’t as engaging as your favorite author. The scene probably underwent multiple edits before making it into the final manuscript.

Social Media makes the problem worse. Everyone is a screen away. People’s daily routines are more accessible to society. People seem more human, but that makes them relatable. Thinking changes from desire to learn to confidence in my capability, regardless of the effort   to master a skill. 

Unrealistic Expectations 

Let’s be honest. Most people hear how their favorite writers became successful, and expect it to happen to them. 

Finding the right team for your book is a huge part of publishing. Read books in the same genre with similar tropes. Make a note of the publisher. Identify the agent of their book.

Literary agents are the first step in selling your book to publishers like Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, or Harper Collins. 

 The industry has changed since Harry Potter was first released. Publishing houses expect their authors to do most of their marketing through social media. 

A brilliant example of an author whose social media campaign helped her secure a publishing deal is Hannah Nicole Maehrer. She posted a series of skits  on TikTok that were moments in her book, Assistant to the Villain. The skits went viral, and she used her social media following to secure a publishing contract with Red Tower Books. 

Trend Concerns

Worried about your book not following current trends? Trends change all the time. Right now, Fae and dragons are having their moment. However, vampires were all the rage in fantasy twenty years ago. Write the book you want. The trends will make their rounds. Who knows, you could be responsible for the next big trend.

Focus on loving your story during the writing process. Everything else can wait. You will be the one reading it the most. The excitement of your book will be infectious to your audience.