Most writers suffer, at least a bit, with a lack of confidence. Some writers find this almost crippling; for others, it's more of an occasional wobble.
If you're not confident, though, it's hard to write (and even harder to put your writing out there in the world). You might find yourself making excuses: you're too busy to write, or you have too many ideas, or not enough ideas, or you constantly put off publishing or promoting what you've written.
If you need a confidence boost, here are five simple ways to get it:
#1: Write Regularly (At Least Twice a Week)
I know this is easier said than done when you're not feeling great about your writing – but if you can write on a regular basis (ideally at least a couple of times each week), it'll help.
If you've not been writing much, it's easy to end up feeling like you're never going to be able to stick with anything, or you're always going to procrastinate. But you can break out of that cycle.
Make a commitment to write at least twice a week, even if it's only for 5 - 10 minutes each time.
#2: Ask a Writer Friend to Tell You What You're Good At
If you have a friend who writes, ask them to look at a piece of your writing and tell you what you're good at. I promise there'll be something!
You might want to make it clear that, at this point, you're not looking for a critique – just for positive comments about what you're already doing well.
If you don't have any writer friends, try asking around on Facebook or Twitter: you might be surprised just how many writers and would-be-writers there are!
#3: Spend Ten Minutes Per Week Working on a Weak Area
Whatever it is, set aside just ten minutes per week for deliberate practice. You don't have to use what you write or ever show it to anyone.
Even a small amount of progress with something you're weak on can help you build your confidence. You might never be great at that particular area of writing ... but you can certainly achieve competance!
#4: Send Something You've Written to a Competition or Publication
Submitting your work to an editor / agent / competition judge can feel pretty scary – but the more often you do it, the easier it'll become.
Even if your piece is turned down, you can try again, either submitting it to another competition or writing something new.
The problem with a lack of confidence is that it saps your energy and stops you taking action. Pick at least one of these things to put into practice this week. Best of luck!
