How do I motivate myself to write?

I’ve had several book ideas over the past 4-5 years. I’ve written chapters for one, developed my characters and outlined essentially the whole thing.

Then I just… don’t write it.

I think the fear of it being terrible stops me from even trying, which I know is incredibly dumb.

I should just write, see where that takes me. But I just come up with these ideas and outlines and don’t even share my writing anywhere they just sit in my notes for ages. How does one get over that fear and just doooo it?

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robertsnj · 56-60, M

Every project starts small and scales up. Your future writing project is no differnet. You don't owe me answers but a couple of questions for introspection:

1) How often and how much do you read? Try to get a good pace going of reading . If you don't read you won't ever wrtie. They reading and writing are peanut butter and jeally.

2) What techniques have you worked on ? Foreshadowing personification, symbolic scene writing. what are you working on?

3) Do you belong to a writing community (aka not here somewhere where writers hang out online) ? What do you do on in that space?

4) Do you keep a notebook with you when you are out and about to write in when you get an idea? (if not start doing that)

5) Do you block off writing time. It can be a 2 a.m. but do you block off time that is for writing?

If you waiting for an inspiration or to be in the mood I would telll you by contrast, and I don't mean to be insensative, but I would tell you writing is probably not for you. It is project work and it scales from small to large.

Best of luck.