Writers write for the utter joy of it. But loving to write doesn’t equate being entirely comfortable with exposure as an author. The idea of hundreds (or thousands) of others seeing our work is daunting—especially for introverted writers. There’s an unnerving issue surrounding getting over the fear of being ‘out there.’

My introvert tendencies exceed my extrovert ones, but for others to enjoy my work, they must know it’s out there. All authors have trace self-doubt (even bestselling authors), some with more traces than others. But doubt about my work wasn’t a significant factor for me; it was a “fear” of people knowing the work existed, period—which means folks know I exist and have works out there to be “judged.” Yet the “judging” doesn’t bother me as much as one would think (basically, you either like it or you don’t; hopefully, you do, but if not, moving on).

And it is not from a conceit that I worry about people knowing about my existence (“Who cares about you and what you’re doing?” you might say), but the whole idea of my head being permanently out of its “turtle shell” is daunting. Strangers know who I am now (but I don’t know who they are). Only true introverts get where I’m coming from with this, so please, extroverts: some patience and empathy. How would you feel if your head were permanently situated inside your turtle shell, and you couldn’t interact or be social or, I don’t know,…extrovert?

There are ways, however, that introverts (and their work) can be out there without being “out there.” It’s not an awful row to hoe if an introvert is selective. For example, social media. Small dalliances in social media may not lead to bestseller status, but not every writer is looking for that. Introverted writers must do what feels comfortable and resist the pressures and advice (which make them uncomfortable). I initially avoided much of the social media arena, but I’m finally coming around (albeit at a turtle’s pace).

Although it is a necessary evil for even minimal writing success, getting over the fear is challenging and not a one-off experience. Overcoming the fear can be a lengthy process—requiring more of a “toe-dipping” approach.