Sometimes people avoid writing because of fears or anxieties they have about writing. Understanding where our fears come from, whether it’s publishing, sharing your ideas or getting critisized, and then understanding how our writing helps others, can lessen the fear. Below is a list of ways to help overcome any fears you may have.
Criticism
Criticism is something everybody will face at some point in their lives, it is also something none of us enjoys hearing. The phrase ‘constructive criticism’ is only helpful when you can take on board what is said and not be offended or upset, this is what a lot of people find hard.
No one likes to be told something they have done isn’t good enough or needs changing, but try to take it as a ‘second opinion’ rather than any form of criticism. Getting a second view on your writing and understanding others opinions will certainly benefit you in overcoming any fear of fault-finding worries.
Self-doubt
Self-doubt is a lack of confidence in oneself or one’s abilities. This is immediately going to hinder getting anything done and bring on an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety. The voice inside our heads often feels loud and overpowering, but there are ways to conquer this.
Websites like Positivity Blog give great examples of how to overcome any feelings of doubting yourself and will get you straight back on track to producing amazing pieces.
Stop Correcting
We get it, you want your work to be perfect… But is there such thing as perfection? The idiom “one’s man’s trash is another man’s gold” fits well here. What may be perfect to you, won’t be perfect to some readers and vice versa.
Not only that, your self-doubt that we spoke about in the last tip will come into play massively the more you correct things. Set a limit, for example, 3 drafts. After you finish, just pick a favourite and stick with it. You will drive yourself crazy trying to correct things that really don’t need correcting overwise.
You're Not Alone
It is one of the worst things to feel- alone. This goes in everyday life and in writing. Never feel like you can’t ask for help, constructive feedback, a listening ear… Anything that will help you back on track.
It can be anyone, a tutor, a friend, a family member, even a librarian! Letting others read your work before it is published will also give you the boost you need to eradicate the worry of ‘is it good enough?’ A second pair of ears is always a good thing. Never struggle alone.
Face Your Fear
When you’re up against something that makes you worry, fear is a natural response. But ask yourself what is the worst-case scenario? Is it actually going to harm you? Chances are, it’s probably not. The point of the fear mechanism is to keep us safe, but you need to teach it that just because something feels scary, it doesn’t mean it is going to damage us.
The best way to conquer fear is to face it head-on, so try and do what scares you. The more you do it, the more the fear will start to subside. Soon you will be asking yourself what it was you were even worried about!
Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow
Just remember, having fears is natural and normal. It happens to everyone; the difference is the way you handle them. Taking things one step at a time and pushing through each one will see you succeed and become the best writer you can be.
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