Kayla Hicks - Author Kayla Hicks - Author

Why Authors Should Keep Writing Despite Their Doubts of Success

3 min read

Don’t let self-doubt or fear keep you from writing

Most writers worry that their work will never do well, it’s normal to worry about it.

Authors worry about this for numerous reasons.

  • Fear all the work will have been for nothing

  • No one will read their story

  • Readers won’t like their story

  • Book sales will never come

But, authors need to remember a few things.

First of all, no one will read your work if you never publish it. Second, you are never going to be able to please every reader. And third, you can’t compare your authorship journey to others.

One of the main facts that authors should remember is that the business of books and literature is a very subjective business.

Yes, you will need to work to get your story in front of the right readers, but once you do, it's like magic.

That reader who falls in love with your story will most likely leave you a review. They will also most likely tell other readers about your books. And they will probably read your next book.

This is exactly why you can’t allow self-doubt to cloud your chance of success.


Take a few words of wisdom from some great people to help you push away those self-doubts.

  1. Write. Just do it. Then again. Then some more. And more. Do not wait for inspiration; if you do enough of it often enough, inspiration will eventually come. ~Nancy Kress

  2. Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any. ~Orson Scott Card

  3. A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit. ~Richard Bach

  4. Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers. ~Ray Bradbury

  5. All glory comes from daring to begin. ~Ruskin Bond

  6. “Inspiration may sometimes fail to show up for work in the morning, but determination never does.”- K.M. Weiland

  7. “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”
    Madeleine L’Engle


Self-doubt about the success your work will have can only control you if you let it.

Keep writing what you love. Keep writing the stories that need to be told. And don’t give up on trying to find your audience.