In a guest post on DIY MFA, writer Stephanie Jo Harris discusses the trepidation she felt approaching the sequel to her novel, The Poet. As a result of publication, Harris naturally found a readership, and as she began to contemplate her follow-up, she worried about offending or letting them down. Such fears are naturally limiting to writers, who need the freedom to follow their creative inclinations. The self-censor is far greater killer than the internal editor.
Harris’ first tip for writing fearlessly goes against a lot of popular wisdom – don’t think about the audience and forget who might be reading it. Writing to the expectations of an imaginary reader – or worse, providing fan service – is a creativity killer. She also recommends becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. If your work doesn’t make you feel something – fear, sadness, unease – it’s less likely to move an audience.
Read the rest of her tips here
Image by annekarakash on Pixabay
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