Every morning when I sit down to write, I’m afraid. After almost a million words written and over a million books sold, I still am terrified that I can’t write, tell a good story, and have nothing worthwhile to say. My higher brain functions shutdown and I stare at the blank screen like an ape dumbfound by the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

I have a bunch of tricks to get myself started (I’ll cover those in a later posts, don’t worry). Once I get started, though, the words come–sometimes so fast I go into a Zen no-mind lightening-hot state and tap and tap and tap until I realized that I’m in that mental state (which always then breaks the spell) and I look up and see a thousand words on the screen.

I’m sharing this because I wanted those who are trying to write and have this problem to know it’s okay. Lots of other writers do, too; you’re in good company.

You can get past this. I do everyday. Don’t give up.