I'm probably too late to help with your paper but I totally agree with the vibe that if you don't give it a go you'll never know! You will never get anything done - car mechanics or other things in life - if you don't give it a go. The trick or art is to know when to go and ask for help - though I must say "the fear" is quite a strong motivator to getting it done / learning how to do it better next time.