Perhaps the trickiest aspect of writing is that it’s so easy to feel discouraged.
After working hard to create something, often times you’re left wondering if your efforts were good enough.
Unfortunately, this is extremely common and many writers (regardless of what they’re actually writing), seem to struggle with believing in their work.
However, it doesn’t have to stay this way forever.
We’re here with a handy guide that’s sure to help you overcome your lack of confidence in writing articles.
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Learn to Handle Negative Feedback
Negative feedback is unavoidable no matter what you do; especially in any sort of creative/subjective area-like writing.
It’s impossible to appeal to everyone and you would be better off accepting that.
Rather than getting hung up on those that dislike your work, focus on those that appreciate and enjoy what you have to say.
Aside from that, try to distinguish trolling from constructive criticism.
Trolling is pointless negativity that’s meant to upset you while constructive criticism offers advice and has the potential to help you grow and improve.
Trolling will always be unhelpful and be along the lines of “My dog could fart out a better article than this.”
Meanwhile constructive criticism would point out an area of improvement and advice, “There are quite a few spelling errors; you should proofread beforehand.”
In either case, try not to get bogged down. You have more to gain by seeing what you can learn.
Write Often
To properly build and develop any skill it’s necessary to devote a certain amount of time to it.
Even with writing, the more time you spend honing your craft the better it will be.
As you get into the habit of writing as much as possible there will be a gradual improvement in your ability and your comfort level.
As you keep at it, you’ll start feeling less self-conscious about your content.
And this isn’t just in terms of writing but rewriting as well.
Go over your work and tweak it as necessary.
Make this a habit and soon enough the quality of your writing and your belief in it will increase.
Don’t Publish in a Rush
Depending on how your schedule works, don’t rush to publish your articles.
Just because you’ve finished writing it doesn’t mean you can’t let it sit for a while.
Often times, we write something and publish it right away even if we aren’t very confident in the work we’ve done.
This is why, it’s better to take some time away and come back to it later.
Looking at your article again after some time has passed allows you to look at your work a little more clearly.
You have an easier time spotting any phrasing problems or spelling mistakes and other times you feel more reassured in the quality of your work.
Write till the End
Don’t let doubts cloud your mind as you write.
Don’t let your lack of confidence make you paralysed to keep going.
While yes, there might be some fluctuations with the quality of your work along the way and maybe even some writers block, however getting the article(s) done is going to give you a sense of accomplishment.
And knowing that the bulk of the work is completed can be relieving.
A commonly underrated aspect of writing is having to push yourself to get things done.
A thousand concerns and insecurities can swirl in your mind, but you have to remember that you need to keep going.
Listen to Your Writing
Reading out your words can be a big difference maker.
Just reading can make it hard to pinpoint exact mistakes, but hearing the words out loud can make it much clearer.
Any tricky spots will stick out immediately, such as awkward phrasing or clunky sentence structure.
Read at a relaxed pace and pay attention to what you’re hearing.
If you don’t spot anything out of the ordinary, odds are that you’re being too self-critical.
Work with an Editor
Sometimes, we do all we can to improve our craft but the confidence still doesn’t pour in.
Other times there might be language issues (fluency for example), or you might not be very good at grammar.
Such setbacks pose a challenge with overcoming the hurdle of confidence.
The best advice for this kind of situation is to hire an editor who is capable of making the necessary adjustments for you.
In this manner you can learn how to improve your work without facing harsh feedback for it either.
Control the Voice in Your Head
It’s both natural and common to have something of an inner monologue.
Regardless of what we do, we’re always thinking about things and responding.
When writing, our inner thoughts can be our biggest enemies.
All it takes is one tiny negative thought and the spiral begins. And because we’re trapped in our own heads it feels much more intense and real.
There are many people who can tell you how they weren’t able to reign in the negative thoughts and decided to quit writing instead.
Don’t let yourself become another one of those people. Control the thoughts and try to encourage yourself as much as possible.
Avoid Making Comparisons
While it happens to the best of us, it can be extremely detrimental to your confidence if you compare yourself to other people.
We’re always harsher on ourselves than others are and comparisons only serve to enable that problem.
It’s very easy to think “Oh person X is such a great writer, why can’t I be as good as them?” but it’s not helpful to get trapped in a cycle of “I’m not good enough.”
If you want to be person X then use that as inspiration to be a better writer, don’t use it as an excuse to beat yourself up.
While it can seem impossible sometimes to overcome your lack of confidence while writing, but the tips above can make a positive difference in your self-esteem and the quality of your work.
Just remember to be patient with yourself and focus on the writing.
Treat all your other concerns as secondary and build on your skills – do that you’ll be on the right track soon enough.
