Are you afraid to write? Or just afraid to share what you do write? Afraid someone will laugh at you? Or, worse, sue you?

We all have these fears. And more. When I write my creative nonfiction stories, mostly family stories, I worry that someone in my family might take offense over something I’ve written. I’m easily hurt, too, by family and friends who don’t take my writing seriously. In fact, I had one family member who asked me, “Why do you bother writing stories that no one wants to read?” That was a blow. I got over it, though. And I continue to write stories that, I’m sure, this family member (and probably others) will never want to read. That’s okay. I’ve come to accept the fact that not many people are readers (sad, but true). And, far too often, those who are readers enjoy the opportunity to criticize what they read in a hurtful way. Probably because it provides them with a sense of power since they don’t have the gumption themselves to write.

So, given all the fears that besiege me, and I’m sure besiege you as well, why do I write? And, how do I overcome these fears?

First of all, I write because it’s in my blood. It’s in my soul. It’s part of who I am. It’s something I feel compelled to do. It’s as important to me as breathing. As eating. As sleeping. Because of all these reasons, I keep on writing in spite of the criticism I’m bound to endure time and time again. When down, when hurt by other’s people’s comments, I refresh my memory and remind myself why I’m doing this. Why I’m writing.

The other big fear that haunts me, continually, especially since I write so much creative nonfiction, is the fear of being sued. Even when I’m writing fiction, there’s the fear that someone will take offense over something I write and perhaps even believe I’m writing about them in a disparaging manner.

How do I deal with this fear? Most importantly, I always include a disclaimer. Most books do. It’s usually a standard line:

This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

When I wrote my mother’s story, F-Stop: A Life in Pictures (Baico, 2011), I added my disclaimer to the Acknowledgements:

I know that we all share different memories of our lives with Mom and Dad. However, this story is my story, my fictionalization of a life, Mom’s life, from my perspective. My intention was never to hurt anyone’s feelings or to reveal anything that should be left unwritten, unspoken. The stories I chose to include are those which were told many times over the years and are well-known to family and friends.

I have consulted with publishers and lawyers on this wording and, hopefully, I’ve covered all angles of possible liabilities. The other thing I do, frequently, is change the names of people who may be offended. And then I realize that I must set this concern aside and proceed with my next big writing project.

There are other lawsuit fears: like quoting someone without their permission, using the lyrics from their songs without their permission, and more. The solution? Check to see if it’s in the public domain. If it is, keep a record of the source that provided that assurance. If it’s not in the public domain? Either get permission or don’t use it. I suppose I naively believed that other artists, like songwriters, would be flattered to be included in a work of literary art. After all, isn’t it another way of promoting their work? Sadly, that’s not always the case.

My other fears? I guess the biggest one we all face is that we may never achieve the ultimate writer’s dream of becoming the next big blockbuster, best-selling author. There is a lot of competition out there and a lot of really good writers, many, like us, who are being looked over, disregarded, and set aside. All you have to do is explore your neighborhood second-hand bookstore to find shelves of authors you’ve never heard of before.

These are all genuine fears. But they’re no excuse for not writing. If it’s in your blood, then you must write. If you’re happy with what you write, then you must publish it. Don’t shrug off the fears. But you must face them head-on: deal with them and carry on. Remember: you are a good writer; you can write safely without being sued; and, even though you may never see big ratings on your work, your writing is important. So write!