Does writing scare you?

Every so often I come across a blog post or essay that changes the way I think about something. This bit from Wordplay: the Writing Life is one such example. Before reading this, I used to be afraid of feeling afraid--and it was one of those things that made it really hard to start writing for the day. Now, I'm looking forward to it. Read on to find out why:

It’s my belief that writers should be scared pretty much all the time. In fact, a constant state of terror would be optimal. When you sit down at your desk and extend your hands to your keyboard, a little tremble should shake your fingers. Your heart should be pounding just hard enough that you find it a tad difficult to draw that first (or second or third) breath. A little dryness of mouth, a little dampness of face, a little quiver in the abdominal region—these are the symptoms of sheer, unadulterated panic.

These are the symptoms of a good writer.

Read the rest.