Book (& Craft) Alchemy

Book (& Craft) Alchemy

Share this post

Book (& Craft) Alchemy
Book (& Craft) Alchemy
The first fear that stops writers cold

The first fear that stops writers cold

You're not alone if you have it

Caroline Donahue's avatar
Caroline Donahue
Jul 21, 2023
∙ Paid

Share this post

Book (& Craft) Alchemy
Book (& Craft) Alchemy
The first fear that stops writers cold
Share

This is a terrible idea.

Anyone else had this thought, even well after you’ve decided on a project?

You’ve had the bolt of inspiration, the excitement, and decided to write the thing. It may be the first day or the fifteenth or the fiftieth when the critic pipes up: this is a terrible idea.

And then you feel the cold clench in your gut.

What was I thinking? I can’t possibly write this novel/story/article/blog post/email newsletter etc etc etc.

Here’s why this isn’t a sign of something going wrong.

In fact, it’s the opposite.

This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Caroline Donahue
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share