Limiting Beliefs That Are Holding You Back
You know what?
There’s a whole lot of misinformation on writing a novel out there, which is why it’s easy to feel defeated when you’re doing everything “right” and still not getting results.
Before I learned how to write confidently, I tried every guide and article I could find.
Expert #1 would say to take fiction writing course, and expert #2 would say all I needed was this AMAZING template.
Many people think there is only one way to write a novel, but they are wrong. That’s why most of those gimmicky things will never work for you.
Others are so stuck in the way they “learned” to write, they are stifled, and find themselves buried in burnout and misery.
I learned that finding methods that worked for ME, my brain, and my creative process was key to a happy career.
You absolutely should NOT force yourself to write in ways that do not work for you simply because someone else said so (even the experts.)
When I first began writing, I couldn’t understand how to outline a novel. I’d outlined research papers, informative lectures, and so much more… but never a novel. I read books, followed YouTube tutorials, and so much more.
No matter what I did, I still couldn’t write a detailed outline!
Once I finally tossed the outline out the window and started writing, things broke free. I could plan ahead a chapter or two, follow my characters on their journey, and I didn’t have to sit in misery telling the story before I told the story!
You can do it too!
Read on for some sneaky limiting beliefs that may be holding you back from writing an amazing novel and how to turn them into your superpowers. Guess what? These were mine, and they might be yours, too!
Limiting Belief #1: I Need to Have a Writing Degree
I thought for sure that I would need to go back to school–again–to get a writing degree. I already had FOUR degrees, and I didn’t want to go back to school. Surely, there was a way for me to learn to write a novel without spending more time and money at school.
Instead, I turned my lack of schooling into a superpower.
First, challenge this belief. After all, it’s just a belief, and you have no proof that it’s reality (spoiler: it’s NOT!) How many bestselling authors actually went to school to become novelists? In modern times, perhaps many, but those classics? Most were passion projects, not the works of formally trained novelists.
Ask yourself why you think you need to go to school for a degree in writing. Is it that someone else told you it was necessary? Are you so used to college being the answer to every job question that it was an automatic requirement in your mind? Are you too afraid to find resources on your own?
Once you have the answers, think about what it would be like to do the opposite. What would it be like to self-teach? Would it save you time and money? Would you enjoy the process more?
You don’t have to take action now. Just let it sit with you and try to broaden your perspective. Keep challenging yourself.
Limiting Belief #2 – I Don’t Have Time to Write a Book
“I’ll get to writing as soon as I finish cleaning my house.” or “I’ll get to writing as soon as I set up a home office."
Sound familiar?
We all have a list of things we need to do and in what order we want to do them.
But if you’ve been procrastinating on getting started on your novel for weeks or months, it’s probably time to re-prioritize.
Do you really need to have a home office before you tackle your rough draft? Or is it something you tell yourself so you don’t have to do the scary thing and actually WRITE?
It’s common to make up reasons to procrastinate when we’re afraid of what comes next.
But you know what?
The longer you wait to do the things you love, the less likely you are to do them. Do you want to miss out on sharing your story with the world or even just one friend?
We have chores and things we must do, but if you examine those things and find that many of them are simply excuses to procrastinate, then scrap them and get to work!
I’m a big procrastinator, but here’s how I turned it into a superpower:
I learned to combine tasks and make lists. It was really that simple for me because there is something so satisfying about marking things off of a list. I also learned to evaluate the pros and cons of the order in which I thought I had to do things. Should I do laundry? Well, yes. I can’t go to the grocery store naked, BUT I can write a few hundred words between loads.
What are your procrastination pitfalls? How can you turn them into superpowers?
Limiting Belief #3: I’m Not a Good Writer
How many times have you read a book and thought you could have told the story better? Or the story made you excited about writing your own book, then immediately thought, “Nah, I won’t be able to do it. I don’t have enough experience, and I’m not good at it?”
You’re not alone. This is another belief that comes from a place of fear, and we all have them.
Fear of failure is pretty hardwired in most people (except toddlers, for some reason), and I know it well. I have written gobs of books, and sometimes fear of failure still slips in.
The problem with this belief is that it can prevent more empowering beliefs from forming if you’re not aware of them.
I’m not talking about inspiration posters with cute kittens here. I mean real, meaningful beliefs that push you to do your best. As a Christian, writing for God pushes me. I also want to write clean, age-appropriate fiction for young adults because it is sorely lacking. Providing solid material for my audience is a driving tool that kills the fear. If I don’t write this story, no one will. They can’t write it like I will.
How to use fear as a superpower:
Imagine another time you tried something new. How did it go? Were you a pro right off, or did it take some practice? We will only put in the effort to overcome fear when we truly love something, and if you love writing you can absolutely turn those fears into something that drives you.
First, figure out all the reasons why your story needs to be told. Is it for a niche audience who only gets a small selection of new books every so often? Does it tackle topics near and dear to your heart?
For example:
Say you want to write a romance about a man who experienced severe trauma during a military deployment because you have a dear friend who went through the same thing. But… you are afraid to step into the topic of PTSD.
Flip this belief by saying you do have experience, you know where to find more information, and you know there is a group of people waiting to read more feel-good stories that relate to them, help them work through their own pain, and help them see a brighter future. Your fear is nothing compared to providing those things for others.
If you’re struggling to write but want to fix that, you’re STILL making great progress!
It’s time to turn your limiting beliefs into empowering beliefs! If you find yourself procrastinating or struggling, think about what may be holding you back. Write down ten limiting beliefs, and don’t be afraid to see them on paper.
We all have them, remember? It’s what you do with them that counts.
Will you push through and keep going? You bet you will!
Let’s get you writing and putting those limiting beliefs to rest.
