It took me the longest time— as in, my WHOLE LIFE— to realize that if I wanted to be professional, but wasn’t terrified most of the time, wasn’t resisting like hell the sitting and writing, then I really didn’t care about it, and I was probably just f*cking around.
An amateur, in other words.
I know now that fear can never really be overcome. In contrast, the amateur thinks he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional “knows there is no such thing as a fearless warrior, or a dread-free artist”, in the words of Steven Pressfield.
Self-doubt is a friend. If you’re wringing your hands and asking yourself if you’re a writer, you probably are. So there.
Especially if you’re terrified. The fakers are full of false confidence.
HemmingPlay 
I haven’t read anything so spot on in…forever. Thank you for this feeling of validation that I have bubbling through my veins. Yay! I knew it. Anyone who’s name rhymes with Hemingway absolutely has to be correct. Perfect.
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Thanks. I do have to give inspiration points to Stephen Pressfield, who wrote a great little book on the subject I just started reading: “The War of Art”. And I must also thank Athenenoelle.wordpress.com for turning me onto it.
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Well, then, I should also thank them accordingly. Thank you. ..
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