What keeps you from writing the story that’s been tumbling in your head forever? What keeps you from posting here? What keeps you from pressing that dreaded submit button on a contest or a submissions call?

Call it nervousness, apprehension or straight-up fear. Name it, claim it, and then conquer it.

Are you afraid of failing in a public forum? Is your inner-critic getting too much air-time in noisy-noise of your brain-bucket?

For me, I feel like I’m faking it every time I write. Maybe I am. Maybe someone will call me out on it and say I’m a terrible writer. It’ll probably happen. It already has. Feedback is feedback. Whether here or in review, it’s the only way I’ll improve. If writing was easy, we’d all be rich. The pursuit of honing my craft urges me forward.

Doesn’t mean I don’t write. Doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying. So, what’s holding you back?

Many contests go up at across the Interwebs every month (Writer’s Carnival, for example), some of them with cash prizes and some with publication at cool e-zines. Some sites have super duper weekly short snapper challenges to get your juices flowing.

Don’t forget about submitting directly to indie e-zines (like Reader’s Carnival). All you have to do is submit. And some even pay coin.

Jeepers, what’s wrong with you? Nothing. Take a goodsome length of duct tape and muzzle that Negative Ned or Nancy that whispers that you’re not good enough. You are.

Do it. Do it now. Click submit.