Writing is the best way to express yourself, but what if you start feeling nervous about your writing and think that
- My blog would not be able to capture the attention of the targeted readers.
- My idea is not appealing.
- All the hard work I put in preparing content will be wasted. So, I should invest my time and energy in any other direction.
All these fears may strike in the mind of any writer. If you also have similar phobias, then this article is definitely for you because here I have discussed 8 Best Ways to Overcome the Fear of Writing as per my personal experience.
The Fear of Writing
Writing requires an in-depth study of the subject and a strong hold over the magical use of words. Many people around us have both these skills, but they are not able to come up with something worth reading.
So, what is holding them back to achieve their goal?
The most important reason could be the fear of writing or the fear of failure in writing.
There is a risk in every creative profession. For example, if you are a filmmaker and come up with a very high budget movie based on your experimental subject, it may get overwhelming support from the viewers or may flop.
The same is the case with writing.
If you are in a creative profession, you must have sky-high confidence and a never-ending spirit to work consistently towards your goal.
So, here I am discussing the best ways to help you overcome the fear of writing.
1. Have Something New to Share With Your Readers
Whether you are writing a book, a new blog, or an article, you must have some fresh ideas and a strong desire to share it with your readers.
A single thought or doubt in your mind that someone else had already covered this topic will kill all your zeal, and you would not be able to write confidently on that topic.
Hence it is essential to select your topic or central theme very prudently.
If you are confident about your subject’s uniqueness, it will automatically help you overcome the fear of writing.
2. Do A Complete Research
The most common reason for any kind of fear is the lack of confidence, and in the case of writing, the anxiety builds due to the lack of proper knowledge.
You may not feel confident if you are not sure about the authenticity of the information you are sharing with your readers.
Hence, if you don’t want your inner insecurities to overpower your confidence, you must do sufficient research before starting any new piece of content.
In fact, if you note down some essential points of your research, it would be easier for you to maintain the proper flow of the content.
3. Respect Creative Criticism
If you get negative remarks for your writing from an expert blogger or your readers, you must take criticism positively and try to learn from your mistakes.
It will help you significantly to establish yourself as a better writer.
When you know about your mistakes or shortcomings but didn’t work in that direction, it may get piled up in your mind and create a high mountain of fear, which might work as an obstacle in your writing journey.
On the other hand, if you focus on improving yourself, it will gradually boost your confidence and enhance your skills. This will elevate your performance as a blogger and reduce unnecessary pressure.
4. Don’t Revise Again and Again
Editing and proofreading are two integral elements of any kind of writing.
If you are good at these two aspects, then it will enhance the quality of your writing automatically, but if you keep on revising the same sentence again and again, then how will you move to the next one?
This happens with many writers that they write a single sentence and keep on revising it again and again and cannot move to the next one.
It kills your time and breaks the flow of writing.
One should keep on writing when the thoughts flow in mind, and once you are done with the writing, you can revise the whole content two or three times for editing and proofreading.
If you are naive in writing, you may also take assistance from an expert. It will improve the quality of your work as well as you will get a complete idea of your mistakes.
5. Set Weekly and Daily Targets
If you take an infinite time to write something, then it may become worthless after completion. So, it is essential to set goals and work accordingly.
You should decide the daily or weekly targets of the number of words or pages and try to achieve them. Even you can set a target for an hour to get the exact idea of your speed and accuracy.
I know writing is a soft skill where quality matters the most. But if you have a fixed target to achieve, you may not think about the response of readers or any other outcome that triggers your fear.
There are several writing tools that let you set your goals.
6. Don’t Leave Your Place Too Easily
While writing, don’t allow the message tone of your phone or the gossip of the people around to disturb you.
If you are a freelancer, then you must choose a peaceful place and fix your working hours. Don’t allow yourself to go outside or involve in household chaos during the working hours.
Once you sit to write something, then you need to be in the same position for a long duration to bring complete focus on your task.
If you keep taking breaks after every 30 minutes or an hour, you cannot concentrate on your writings completely. It will further delay your task and create pressure.
7. What’s Your Way of Writing?
Currently, we have different tools for writing a content. You can use a pen and paper, type with your keyboard, or even take assistance from voice inputs, which directly converts your voice into text.
You can adopt any of these ways as per your convenience, but if you have a fear of writing, then you may try some other options to gain confidence.
If you are familiar with working on your laptop, then keep your laptop aside for a few days and take a pen and paper to express yourself. It will be difficult in the beginning but will definitely help you to overcome the fear.
Even we have a big list of software like Grammarly, ProwritingAid, Ginger, Google Docs, etc., that assist in formatting, editing, and proofreading the content.
Sometimes these tools are life saver for bloggers.
8. Don’t Compare Yourself
Every writer has its own way of writing, so you cannot compare your writing skills with someone else.
You should read and understand different writing styles and try to learn something new from everyone, but don’t try to change your thought process or style of writing as every writer is different. And being a creative person, you must respect this diversity.
If all the writers start following the same style, then why would readers waste their time reading all of them? Instead, they can pick any one or two as per their convenience and leave others.
So, don’t try to copy someone or compare yourself with others.
It will only create a burden on your mind. Alternatively, you should focus on improving yourself and try to iron out your own mistakes.
My Final Thoughts
If you adopt all the tricks mentioned above, then it will definitely reduce your fear of writing. My honest advice for all those writers who are suffering from this situation is- Keep on trying.
If you don’t write because of the fear of writing, then it will eventually increase day by day, and you won’t be able to overcome it, ever.
You should keep on writing every day to boost your confidence. If you still have some difficulties, you may take guidance from an expert writer.