There's no way you can create a novel without revealing who you really are. The dialogue, the characters, even setting and action all expose tiny bits of an author's psyche. It's called voice, and that's exactly what makes a book work.

It's also what makes a writer vulnerable. Is it any wonder writers lug a backpack full of fears around with them? Fears like:

- Everyone's going to realize what I freak I am when they read what I've written.

- People will never read what I'm writing. It's stupid. I'm stupid. I think I'll go eat worms.

- What if that one star review is really what everyone is thinking about my writing but they're too afraid to say it?

These kinds of fears can cause a writer to over-think their writing, making their words painfully stilted. Being afraid of what people will think sucks the life out of a story, robbing it of intensity and freshness.

The thing is, though, that what other people think about a writer's work is just that. What they think. As in opinion, not fact.

Writing is risky, especially penning down the words closest to your heart then exposing them for the world to see. If you're not willing to take that risk, then maybe the publishing realm isn't for you. I'm not saying don't write. I'm simply saying you might want to rethink pursuing publication.