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Top Tips To Overcome Writing Fear

By on May 29, 2020

Writers all go through periods of self-doubt, worry, and writing fear. Unfortunately, that is just part and parcel of being one. While these challenges are somewhat inevitable., if you accept that they will come, and prepare yourself for feeling this way, you will be well equipped to overcome fears and concerns quickly. You will come out of the other side feeling more robust, more motivated, and more determined than ever before. 

Fear is usually born out of vulnerability. There is nothing quite as scary as putting your writing out into the world to be judged by others. However, if you fail to do so, it will be impossible to achieve your goals and dreams. When you feel afraid, it's so difficult to be creative, to tell your story in the way you know best, to reach those places of raw emotion that make stories so beautiful, shocking, and real. But lots of writer’s fears aren’t real. There is no real danger, no real threat. Often the concern that manifests within us is self-created. We owe it to ourselves to take action and try to defeat it. 

So, what are some ways that you can kick self-doubt in the butt and refocus with renewed energy to do your very best work? 

Writing fear - here's how to tackle it!

Learn how to proofread and edit your work

The more confident you are in your ability to proofread and edit your work, the less doubt you will have. You will minimize the chances of readers pointing our your errors to you and will have a deeper understanding of what to look for when going through your manuscript to ensure that it reads well and is error-free. 

Get competitive with yourself

Writing can be a solitary pursuit, and if you aren’t part of a writers group or don’t have a writing buddy (both of which can be very helpful as an aside), you need to motivate yourself. Get competitive. Find ways to challenge yourself to be a better, more productive writer. Set goals, always aim to improve and be better than you were the day before. 

Collect ideas as you go

Keeping a bank of ideas means that you are less likely to run dry and feel as though you have nowhere to go with your story. Whenever an idea strikes, however half-baked or small, make sure you capture it and store it somewhere - it could come in handy later. 

Stick to your writing schedule above all else

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. You have to be responsible for protecting your writing time. If you don’t, you’ll lose it, and it will be so difficult to recover. A strict and productive writing schedule is the number one thing you can do to ensure you keep moving forward.

Actively learn

Read books, both fiction, nonfiction, and books about how to write well too. Go to talks, conferences, and seminars. Subscribe to writing blogs, do writing exercises - just keep learning - there is so much advice that can help you improve - don’t dismiss it. 

Find your USP

Your unique voice, your story, your way of viewing the world and your experiences - they count for something. Think about what you have to offer that no one else does. Focus on that and make sure you use it in your writing to stand out. 

We can’t promise that these tips will rid you of your writing fears, but will help you understand how to recognize them and tackle them effectively when they do arise. So go forth and conquer!

So now you've learned how to overcome your writing fear, why not discover some confidence-boosting facts about writing?

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    About Beth Cadman