Improving Your Confidence as a Writer

If you have confidence as a writer, it is possible to make a career out of writing.

Whether you want to write for a publication, publish your poems, write for your own blog, become a freelancer, or become an author, it’s all doable.

Of course, there are challenges as well. Standing out amongst the crowd is hard, and plenty of people just give up before they even try.

One reason for this is the lack of confidence. Many people can write (and write well), but they are their own worst critic, which often prevents them from flourishing as a writer.

If this sound like you, are some ways you can improve your confidence as a writer.

The First Draft is Going to Be Bad

If you’re writing a novel and you write a chapter then compare yourself to one of the greats, it may wreck your confidence. They write so eloquently, while your work feels choppy and doesn’t have that oomph to it.

This is because their published works went through many drafts and revisions!

Your first draft, in all likelihood, WILL be bad. Realize this and know that there is a good chance that their first draft wasn’t too much different than what you wrote. Works go through many revisions and drafts before the final product comes out. This is something you should remember whenever you are dealing with looking at your first draft.

That is why it is important to hire an editor to help you polish your work!

No Construction? No Criticism!

Another reason that some people don’t publish their writings is because, long ago, they were told that their writing wasn’t good enough. Maybe it was your parents, or perhaps a troll on the Internet said so. If they said your work was bad, but didn’t give a reason why, their opinion matters as much as a piece of trash.

Criticism of your work should be constructive. What did the critic like about your work? What can you improve on? If they feel that your work went flat, why? How could it have been good? Hearing opinions like this can make your work grow. However, opinions that are useless (such as just saying “You suck”) are to be ignored.

Just remember that if you have kids, don’t be that parent who harshly criticizes their art without telling how they can improve. In fact, buy them educational devices to help them grow. Encourage them and praise them often. This will foster a sense of goodness in their hearts and minds! They will also have confidence in themselves and their abilities as a result!

Network with Other Writers

One way that you can improve your confidence as a writer is to talk to other writers. You can find plenty of forums and Facebook groups that consist of both amateur and professional writers.

Trade tips, ask to read each other’s work, and offer and receive advice. This can help you boost your confidence and allow you to be much better as a result.

Find Your Niche

One way you can improve your confidence is to find your niche and excel at that.

Is your goal to write sappy romance stories? Do you want to write informative articles like this one? How about writing PR? Or do you want to be someone who dabbles in a little bit of everything?

Finding your niche and working hard to improve yourself is a great way to improve your overall confidence as a writer.

Seek Help!

Finally, if you are still having problems being confident as a writer, consider going to counseling or talking to a therapist. Your confidence problem could be a part of a bigger mental health issue that can wreck you if left untreated. Talking to a professional therapist can help you find the cause and improve your confidence so you can be the best writer possible.

If you want to learn more about how you can seek help, click below:

https://www.regain.us/advice/therapist/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-online-therapy/

Other Resources

Check out 20 Ways to Be a Master Writer and Improve Your Writing Skills.

Also, see Writer’s Block (+ the 10 Best Ways to Overcome It)