So, basically, I'm scared of writing my novel.

I know what it's about. I know the characters, the setting, the era, the struggle, the relationships, the symbols, the outcome. I can see the opening scene in my head. I have all the research material I need.

But I'm terrified of starting.

What if I can't do it? What if it turns out to be a prosaic, dull, cliched piece of copy? What if it turns out to be one of those books that I myself would pick up at the library, give it a few pages and then say, with boredom, "Hmmm. Fairly forgettable."

I know I can write non-fiction. I know I can write biography. I know I can write a decent, generally-appealing article.

I also know that while I have some talent, I'm really nothing special. I'm not Harper Lee. I'm not Jane Austen. Even my 10 year old daughter has more potential in her writing abilities than I ever did. 

And great fiction is the pinnacle. What if I can't even make it into the foothills?

Fear is a roadblock in my path. How am I going to get around it?