Yeah, I know. Fear is a negative word. A hateful word. And why am I such a hater?

Well, as much as I hate to break it to wannabe writers, the ugly truth is that fear is part of an author's life. It never goes away. Fears such as:

• What if I what I'm writing is a steaming pile of literary manure?

• What if I can't even think of anything to write today?

• What if my sales numbers never pull out of the nosedive they're in?

• Sweet mercy! Will I ever be able to lose the 10 pounds I just gained from sitting around writing my last manuscript?

• What if my book simultaneously releases when Suzy Awesome Author's book comes out?

• What if Ben & Jerry's discontinues Chunky Monkey?

And those are just a few. Here's the deal . . . writers are psychotic little rock badgers, all fidgety and tweaky. Why?

Because art is subjective.

Even to the artist. You may think that what you create on any given day is a masterpiece, then come back to it the next and have a little bit of throw-up in your mouth because you think it's just that awful.

But you know what? A small amount of fear is a good thing. It keeps you on your toes. It keeps your head from swelling. It gives you an edge, preventing complacency. Too much fear will keep you from producing anything, but just a smidge is the sweet spot, spurring you on to bigger and better projects.

So go forth, little writers, and embrace fear. Know that it's just part of the writerly game and that you're not the only one a little shivery at the knees.

Unless, of course, it has to do with Ben & Jerry's going out of business. Then all bets are off.