Six Tips To Boost Self-confidence in Writing

No writer ever deals with self-doubt. Right? Wrong! It's one of the most common hazards we face as writers. It comes and goes like a breeze off the ocean. We face it; we think we have it conquered, and there it comes again. Even writers who are highly successful deal with self-doubt. They worry that the next book will not be as good as the one that just hit the Bestseller List.

There are ways to build your self-confidence in your writing world. They're not difficult but take time and some dedication on your part.

1. Learn as much as you can about reading. The more you know and understand, the easier it will be to continue writing. As you gain more knowledge of the intricacies of the craft, you'll be more comfortable. You'll feel more able to plunge into your writing with an assured feeling.
2. Read everything you can about the craft. This goes hand in hand with #1. There are huge numbers of books about writing at your bookstore, online, and in your library. Read them! They were written by successful writers who have important knowledge to pass on. Build your own reference library by purchasing the books you find most helpful. 
3. Practice writing in every spare minute you have. We know that practice increases skill. We know it, but we don't always do it Those writing exercises that I offer (and so do others) are meant to give you practice, to refine your skills, and to increase writing output. Also to help with inspiration and creativity. Wow! Look at all a writing exercise can do. It's a shame that so many writers skip right on by, don't give them a try. 
4. Be brave about showing your work to others. Letting others see our work means we are opening ourselves to criticism. That's perfectly alright. We learn from the critiques of others. What they tell us helps us refine our writing, revise and edit it with strength. 
5. Submit your work. Writing multiple stories and essays and then doing nothing with them doesn't help your writing journey. It keeps you stuck on that mile marker that is labeled 'Files.' You cannot be published if you do not submit your writing. Scary as it is, it's the best way to learn what works for you and what doesn't.
6. Consider your publishing successes. Each and every one should build up your confidence for your next writing project. 

If you do all of the above, your self-confidence will increase. Maybe not overnight. After all, the list above are things that need to be ongoing, not just for a month or two. Anyone who thinks the only part about writing that is important is the writing itself has a lot to learn. 

Ever have a mental chat with yourself about your self-confidence? Try it sometime. For every doubt you have, find an answer to boost yourself a rung higher. Ask yourself questions like 

• How great is my desire to write?
• Do I put enough effort into my writing?
• Am I willing to work harder than I do now?
• Can I show my work to others without over-worrying?
• Do I learn from rejections received?
• Do I ever use lack of self-confidence as an excuse for not writing? 

That list could grow longer and longer, but if you can put a positive spin on your answers, it will also boost your self-confidence. Answer to each one negatively, and you'll lose a lot of creativity, just as the poster quote today tells us.

Will you be able to erase self-doubt completely? Not really. You can certainly help make it better, but it's going to rear up and bite you off and on. The biggest hope is that it is temporary and that you will be able to stomp on it and move on. Once again, you are in control. I can read a story you wrote and tell you how much I like it, and that's a confidence booster, but it's mostly up to you, the writer. 

The Writing Keyword Today Is SUBMIT

I've been noticing that several members of my online critique group are writing toward a specific market. They're making an effort to write and submit. Keyword for today is submit. The majority of writers are aiming for publication. 

The very first step after writing and editing is to submit. A simple little word, a process that anyone should be able to complete. Right? Maybe not.

It takes more than a little courage to expose your work to the eyes of others, whether it be a friend, a critique group, or an editor. It's human nature to strive for praise. We'd all love to hear nothing but positives about the words we've strung together in a story, article, essay or poem. By submitting what you've written, you set yourself up for failure. Not really, but that's the way our minds work at times. 

Before you submit for publication, you need to get yourself in the proper frame of mind. Have a little chat with yourself. Do this in private or someone may call 911. Tell yourself that the only way you will ever see your work in print is to send it to an editor, or many editors. That you don't expect to have every single story you submit make it. That you'll keep the submision wheel turning. Remind yourself that the worst than can happen is that the first editor will reject your piece. Not a catastrophe. Every writer racks up rejections like beer cans at a frat party. 

Many fine writers have reams of stories, or whatever it is they write, in their files or printed and placed reverently in a looseleaf binder. They're afraid to take that first step to market their work. It's a shame because many of these writers could be, would be, should be published if they only had the courage and confidence in themselves to submit those stories. 

Notice the little meter at the top of this post--it says somethng important. You are in control. It's not me or your Aunt Susie or your husband/wife. It's you. I learned that from a man who was the moderator of the first critique group I joined, early in my writing years. His mantra was Send it in! Send it in! Send it in! I wrote an article about Tom and that group for the Long Ridge Writers Website several years ago. It details my own process of learning to submit my work. Read it before you have that little chat with yourself.

Ask yourself what you can do to gain the confidence it takes to show your work to others. You're not going to become a self-confident writer (or person) in one fell swoop. It's another of those step-at-a-time processes. If you do submit your writing and have an acceptance, or even an encouraging note from an editor, you'll move one step higher on the ladder.