Tall Poppy Syndrome

I want to write a book, but I'm frightened that it'll be no good.

That's the biggest fear that stops anybody writing a book.

The second biggest fear is that their book will be too good.

It’s a variation of tall poppy syndrome, where people fear they’ll get cut down if they stand out from the crowd.

Authors worry that their colleagues, their peers in the industry, possibly even their families will think “What the heck? Who are you to have joined-up thinking about the industry you are in? Who are you to suggest your wisdom is better than everyone else’s?”

But that's not what an author does at all. You're passing wisdom to people who don't have it and want to learn without having to go through what you've been through. Those people aren't interested in cutting you down to size. They're only interested in learning.

Virtually all authors discover that far fewer people are interested in cutting them down to the size than they fear. Instead, they find that readers are genuinely grateful.

(BTW If you're afraid your book will suck, let’s have a chat about how I can help you make sure it doesn't.)