Performance Anxiety for the Keyboard

By - May 31, 2012

You might read that phrase and think it's about one thing and one thing only, but the truth is, performance anxiety can exist in the writing world.  For this thriller writer, it's that horrible fear that, as your reach the climax of your story, you won't be able to please the reader the way you hope to (Oh, baby!).

If you're a writer, you're probably familiar with the feeling.  You've laid an intricate web of the who's, how's, and why's, but now comes the tricky part: reaching the end where those who's, how's, and why's all align magically to form a perfect, cohesive story free of oversights, plot holes, and heaven forbid, unresolved conflict.  In other words, it's time to end your story, and you're starting to doubt whether or not you can live up to the plotline you've drawn for yourself.  You have everything you need for this story needs to be a hit, but can you actually execute it in such a way that it will be?

So, if you're in the home stretch like me, and you're trying to combat writerly performance anxiety, I offer my very few tips on what to do to make sure you knock this thing out of the park instead of whiffing it over the fence behind you.

Tip 1:  If you let your performance anxiety keep you away from your computer, you'll never know.  It's always easier to be afraid and talk yourself out of writing than to talk yourself into it.  When you come to the section you're anxious about, start small.  Promise yourself 500 words at a time.  It'll turn into more most of the time, and even if it ends up being crap, 500 didn't waste your whole day or change your whole story.

Tip 2:   Make a short list of the outstanding plotlines that need to be resolved in the climax.  Factor in where characters are at the beginning of the climax and note where you need them to be at the end.  In my case, make a short (or long) list of who lives and who dies.  Map out anything that might block you in once you get on your way, including but not limited to which shrapnel is flying in what direction, possible escape routes, and the need for Oreos in real life. 

Tip 3: Hunker down and pray for daylight.

What books have you read where the climax left you completely satisfied?  What have you read that left you wanting more...and not in a good way?