How to Gain Confidence as a Writer

Image courtesy of Feelart/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net Confidence comes from doing.  The more you do something, the better you get, and the more confident you become.  This applies to basketball, baking a cake, driving a car, and yes, even, writing.


If you would like to feel more confident as a writer try following these steps:

Commitment

The first step to gaining confidence is to make a commitment to your writing.  Do this by deciding on a writing schedule.  I think it is better to aim for writing for a short while every day rather than trying to write for two hours every Sunday.  If you’ve only got fifteen minutes you’re not going to waste it staring out the window, whereas that two hours on Sunday may get frittered away watching the neighbour mow the lawn while you wait to ‘be inspired.’

So, step one is to decide on a writing schedule, whether it is to get up fifteen minutes early, write during your lunch break, or even write in your car for a few minutes after work. 

Consistency

Once you’ve decided on a writing schedule it is important to stick to it.  A well-planned schedule is worthless if you never follow it.  You’re not going to feel confident calling yourself a writer if you make a schedule but only follow it for two weeks, are you? 

So, the second step to gaining confidence as a writer is to write consistently.  Someone who writes five days a week consistently for two years is going to feel like a writer. 

Confidence

You don’t need to land on the bestseller list to feel confident as a writer.  You just need to feel authentic and honest when you say, “I am a writer.”  Even if you are only talking to yourself.

If you show up every day and write, if you know that you have made writing a priority, and that writing is important enough for you to commit to and practice consistently you will feel confident when you say, “I am a writer.”