by Suzanne Lieurance
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to convince yourself that the “safe” writing project is the smart choice?
Maybe you’ve had a novel idea in the back of your mind for years, but you keep putting it off because it feels too ambitious.
Instead, you work on another article, another revision, or another project that feels comfortable.
Productivity and progress aren’t always the same thing.
Sometimes we stay busy because it’s easier than being brave.
What Makes a Project Feel Safe?
A safe project usually doesn’t ask much of us.
We already know we can write it, organize it, and finish it.
Comfort isn’t the problem.
The problem comes when every project feels comfortable.
Growth rarely happens inside our comfort zone.
The Project That Keeps Calling You
Most writers have one idea that simply won’t leave them alone.
It might be a novel, a memoir, or a nonfiction book you’ve always wanted to write.
Somehow, “someday” never arrives because the bigger the dream, the easier it is to postpone.
Fear Often Disguises Itself as Practicality
Fear doesn’t always shout.
More often it whispers: “One more class. One more revision. One more year.”
Before long, waiting becomes a habit.
The Real Cost Isn’t Failure
The greatest risk may not be failing.
It may be never attempting the work that mattered most to you.
Bigger Projects Create Bigger Writers
If you haven’t yet read How to Become a Writer Who Finishes, make that your next stop.
Every completed project changes you, and ambitious projects stretch your creativity, discipline, and confidence.
You Don’t Have to Be Fearless
Successful writers aren’t fearless.
They simply decide that the importance of the work outweighs the discomfort of uncertainty.
Your Next Step
This weekend, list every writing project you’ve been considering.
Put a star beside the one that feels exciting and a little intimidating.
Then ask yourself: What’s the very first step I can take today?
Take that step.
For Further Reading
• Our August Writing Challenge: Bold Creative Expansion
• 7 Signs You’re Playing Smaller Than Your Writing Potential
• How to Be a Writer Who Finishes
• 7-Day Writer’s Manifestation Kickstart
• Monday Morning Manifestors
Suzanne Lieurance is the author of over 40 published books and a transformational Law of Attraction coach for writers who are ready to stop waiting to feel like the real thing. At Write by the Sea, she guides writers through the identity shift that changes everything — not just the writing, but the whole life built around it. She is the publisher of Manifesting Monthly magazine and the host of Monday Morning Manifestors.
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