This post is about helping you to gain more writing confidence!
Building Confidence as a Writer
We’ve all been there. That place where we think we are the worst writer in the world. Or that somehow, we are not cut out to be a writer at all. Let me tell you now, it’s not true at all. We simply lack writing confidence. It’s a feeling I know all too well.
Like anything else in life, it’s hard to get to the place we aspire to be when we are fighting insecurity or self-doubt. To become a creative writer, we develop a writer’s mindset. Here are some truths I discovered that finally gave me the courage to not only put words out on the page, but to also start sharing it with others.
1. There’s no Such Thing as Perfect Writing
Perfect writing? What does that even mean?
I can be a bit of a perfectionist. I always try to find the perfect words of description, and I work super hard to weed out any possible mistakes I’d made in my stories. Although I learned quite a bit during this process, I found I was stuck in the same cycle, rewriting the same scenes over and over again, until I realized my story wasn’t progressing at all.
To make progress, I had to accept that my writing was never going to be flawless. Even when you become a more seasoned writer, be open to the possibility that you are still making some mistakes, and that’s okay. Your work can still be very much enjoyable while containing some flaws.
Also, keep in mind everyone has their own idea what makes a writing “perfect” or “flawless.” Like all things creative, writing is subjective. You can only make your writing “you,” which ties into the next point.
2. Everyone Has Their Own Voice
It’s time to accept that everyone has their own style. Stop comparing yourself to others. No two people are going to look at the same image and describe it in the same way. Nor are two people going to hear the same plot line and approach it even remotely similarly. It’s one of the most fascinating things about writing. Our uniqueness.
For some odd reason, I used to think there was only one correct way to go about writing a scene or description. While there are some strict rules to follow, eventually you will learn how to move outside those boundaries. Have confidence that your own style of writing is acceptable.
Say it with me: There’s no such thing as perfect writing. There are only different styles.
3. Consider the Possibility That You’re Being Too Hard on Yourself
There have been so many times where I finished a work and I thought it was awful. I was completely ashamed to show it to anyone, or even reread it myself.
Then one day I gained enough courage to share what I wrote. I was pleasantly surprised by the positive feedback. I discovered that I could actually craft a narrative that other people were invested in.
Now think of what happened with Stephen King. Before he became one of the most world-renowned authors, he threw out one of his early works in the bin. Lucky for him, his wife found it, and urged him to finish it. The story he almost gave up on ended up being the start of his prosperous career.
So what’s the point of me giving you these two examples? It’s to help you consider the possibility that maybe you’re a little too hard on yourself.
Trust me when I say that your ideas sound more stupid to you than they do to anyone else. So why not give it a go?
4.Try Getting Words on a Page!
When reading the work of professionals, it’s easy to get intimidated by how flawless the work seems. But we don’t see the amount of editing and revising done in the process of making it exceptional. Unless you are some prodigy destined to write the next greatest novel in a matter of weeks, chances are you aren’t going to write a good story on the first try.
When starting out, my advice is to let your writing be terrible. Because the more you write, the more material you will have to work with to improve yourself. Treat each writing session like the process of discovery. Even when you are uncertain, simply getting your words onto a page will help you to plot your story and fill in the gaps you didn’t know you had. Then edit it later. There’s a reason most authors say, “true writing is editing.”
So just get words on the page! Yes. You will most likely make every mistake in the book, but at the end of the day, you will never know you are making them unless you have something to work with. Find inspiration and get started on writing right away!
5. Learn the Craft of Writing Properly
And that leads to my final word of advice. Learn the technical aspects of writing so you know what you are doing correctly or incorrectly. The more you write, the more you learn your weaknesses. Take what you learned from your “horrible” writing and seek resources to help improve it. Of course, this blog is a great resource, if I do say so myself, and there are plenty others!
This will help you decide whether you are being too hard on yourself or if there really is something in your writing that needs fixing. But you won’t know your weaknesses until you–well, write!
Write on!
I hope this helped you to have a little more writing confidence! The most important part is to accept that writing is a learning process. Don’t let your shame of not being good enough get in the way of you sharing your work, or worse, writing anything at all.
Those who have the courage to put pen to paper are already 1,000 steps ahead.
