Living in these pages.

For me, the scariest part of writing isn't about writing at all.

It's about reading.
The writing part comes easily, and as I'm writing it feels like every word I put down
on the page is perfect. And in the moment of writing it, every word is perfect.
They are the words that first come out when I get into the emotion of the story,
and it's exciting because I can finish a chapter and feel like
I've just completed something amazing.
But in the back of my mind,
I always know I'm going to have to go back and read my own writing,
and that's the terrifying part.
Because what if it's not so great once I've distanced myself from the emotions of writing it?
What if a scene I thought came across as powerful and fluid
is actually pretty cheesy?
What if my characters aren't likable or relatable like I thought they were?
I read once that authors need to take time away from a piece of writing
before they even think of sending it to agents or editors
because in the days and weeks after finishing a story,
you're still too emotionally attached to it to see it objectively.
And I couldn't agree more.
But the waiting part is scary,
because it's during that period of time
when something you thought was magical
can turn into something that's only mediocre.