Tuesday's Inspiration -- The Intimidation Factor #MFRWauthor

Just what is the intimidation factor? Something most writers suffer from. So let's look at just what it means.

We've all read some of the classics and wondered how they became known as classic works of fiction. So we aim to product something that's as wonderful as those. But we can't for we're not imitators. Sure, soem writers may steal a line here or one there. That doesn't lead to the intimidation factor. This is what happens.

The book you pick up to read may not be the next best seller, but something about the book hits a chord with you. You start thinking. "That story is so good. The writing is so wonderful. This is a book I wish I'd written."

While feeling this kind of envy is fine what many times happens with the next thought. "I'll never write anything as wonderful as book X,Y or Z." This is the truth or at least part of the truth. What it really means is you won't write that book or one similar to it. Well, maybe you will since often one book that startles everyone and ends on the best seller list brings lists of imitators. Sometimes a new sub-genre is born.

But what can happen is the writer can become intimidated by the success of others. The writer sets out to write a book just like the one they thought was so wonderful and thus become a victim of  the intimidation factor.

The moral of this bit is simple. While you may admire someone else's story write your won. You can't write that book that has become a best seller since someone already had. Write your own story and know it could also become a best seller.