Learning To Be A Fearless Writer
Beth Kempton. (Photo courtesy of Holly Bobbins Photography)
Beth Kempton recently celebrated the third anniversary of ‘The Way of the Fearless Writer’. Sue Pritchard explains how this book gave her the courage to continue with her own writing journey.
Books can leave a lasting imprint on your life. In 1993 it was Susan Jeffers’ motivational self-help book called ‘Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway’, which gave me the courage to introduce myself to my future husband.
Then almost 30 years later, another book about facing up to your fears helped redirect the course of my life. And I’m quite sure if I hadn’t read this one, I wouldn’t have written my own or be here pursuing my dream of becoming a published author.
Face The Fear
Back in October 2022, after Tracy Sharman from Talking Spirit assured me my dad would offer a helping hand from beyond the grave, I started to write the book I’d only been brave enough to dream about for over 40 years. A few days later though, self-doubt and fear ambushed me, almost stopping me from writing another word.
Hesitantly tapping away at the keyboard, documenting my innermost thoughts in my spare time but not really knowing what I was doing, I began to wonder if my writing was any good. Terrified at the thought of other people reading it, I also didn’t believe I could write a whole book.
As social media does, it grabbed my attention that day and almost read my mind, knowing exactly what I was looking for. We’re often overwhelmed by a deluge of adverts inflicted upon us, but Facebook was spot on when it introduced me to Beth Kempton’s new book, ‘The Way of the Fearless Writer’.
What are the chances, I wondered to myself, that a book about bravely harnessing your inner writer was published at the perfect time for me? Unsure if this coincidence was down to those calculating algorithms, or if it was another magical nudge from the universe, I was nonetheless grateful to have discovered Beth’s book when I needed it the most. And as I started to read, I was hooked on her wise words from the off.
You Are A Writer
Beth’s love for the more spiritual side of life and a less academic but more mindful approach to writing, really struck a chord with me. If you’ve ever put the thoughts and emotions that spill out of your head and heart onto paper, then Beth says you’re a writer. You don’t need a destination. You just need to write.
Her approach to writing encourages you to be fearless, shake off those shackles of self-doubt, have faith in the power of your words, and believe they deserve to be heard. Explaining the traditionally critical approach to teaching writing is not always helpful, Beth believes your words are more likely to flow freely if you can write without fear of judgement.
And it felt as if Beth’s beautiful words of wisdom were almost giving me permission to write; to enjoy it and not worry I didn’t have a plan or an end goal in sight. After reading her words and going on to write my own, I must admit, I shed a few tears. It was such an emotional release, a wonderfully long and slow exhaling of breath. I began to feel I was perhaps reconnecting to a part of me I’d somehow lost along the way, but didn’t even know I was looking for.
Trying not to second guess myself, not wondering what people might say, or if they would even laugh at the thoughts materialising on the page in front of me, I found the confidence to carry on writing. I clung to Beth’s every written word. It was as if I was looking back at her for reassurance, seeing her nod her head and wave ‘go on’, which would then prompt even more tumultuous thoughts to tumble out of my head, and fall into orderly sentences across the screen before my eyes.
In disbelief as the tally of words in my first ever book manuscript crept into the thousands, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Having doubted myself for more than 40 years, forever in fear of judgement and never believing I would have anything good enough to write about, I contacted Beth to express my gratitude.
Thrilled to receive my message, she wished me luck for a wonderful writing journey. Books and signs arrive on our path when we need them, she added, and waking up is everything.
Indeed, Beth believes numerous signs and symbols have always given her the confirmation she’s needed when writing her own books. She says we can read whatever we like into these but each one, such as the books we seem to stumble upon when we need them the most, are proof we are waking up.
And as various signs continued to guide me towards finishing the 75,000 words of Dream Catcher, I just knew I was meant to find Beth’s book that day.
Beth experienced self-doubt when writing ‘The Way of the Fearless Writer’
(Photo courtesy of Holly Bobbins Photography)
A Sign To Carry On
October 2025 marked the third anniversary of ‘The Way of the Fearless Writer’, and I was surprised by Beth’s recent admission it was ‘something of a wonder’ the book exists - simply due to the self-doubt and fear she experienced when writing it.
Fortunately one of those magical signs jumped to her rescue when a pack of affirmation cards fell off the shelf, landing on her desk. ‘I am enough exactly as I am’ were the words on the front. Beth took that as a sign to carry on.
And it’s the wisdom of the oracle cards which has often given me the encouragement I’ve needed to continue on this long and arduous writing journey. Upon completion of my own book manuscript I was once again drawn to Beth, when debating whether to sign up for her online course called The Book Proposal Masterclass. How amazing would it be, I wondered to myself, if I came full circle and compiled my plans to target potential publishers, with the author whose book had inspired me to keep writing in the first place?
Once again though, that annoying imposter syndrome decided it was time to pay another visit. It started to tap away on my shoulder and torment me. “Who do you think you are?” it asked. “Surely such a class is designed for people far more talented than you?”
Trying to ignore it as I shuffled my pack of oracle cards, I asked for guidance about whether I should sign up for this course, made even more tempting because it was reduced in price with the option of paying in instalments.
And oh my, how those oracle cards delivered. After almost dropping the Destiny card as I turned it over in my hand, I took a big breath in and quickly signed up to spending a month in Beth’s virtual company, before my bravery failed me.
Dream Catcher
So thanks to Beth’s empowering words, I’m still here, bravely continuing towards publication of Dream Catcher.
And if you’ve ever doubted yourself, or lack the courage to reach for your own dreams, remember, everyone can feel this way. But when we start to believe in ourselves and face that fear head on, we can also inspire others to do the same.
(Photo courtesy of Holly Bobbins Photography)
The fearless writing path is almost without direction, because it’s a path of waking up (Photo courtesy of Holly Bobbins Photography)
To find out more about Beth see Do What You Love Home - Do What You Love
You can also follow her on social media and Substack