7 Tips for Gaining Confidence as a Writer
By: Flynn Hannan
Tags: Writers On Medium, Writers On Writing, Writing, Writing Life, Writers Life

If you just started out as a writer, you will understandably have trepidations about your work. You might feel insecure about your skills, and unsure whether you should publish any type of content. A lack of confidence is understandable, but you should never let it stop you from achieving great things as a writer. Here are 7 tips for gaining confidence as a writer.

1. Reach out to veteran writers

One of the best ways to gain confidence as a writer is to have a writing mentor. A writing mentor is a veteran writer who has seen it all. These kinds of writers have gone through various challenges, and they could give you a great deal of writing advice. They could also give you great tips on how to get publishing deals, and how to effectively market your work. If you reach out to veteran writers, you will need to be as polite as possible. Remember that they are under no obligation to help you, so any help they offer is valuable.

2. Read new content everyday

Aside from having a writing mentor, it is very important that you read new content every day. Remember that the more topics you know, the more confident you will be of your writing skills. When you choose the content you will read about, you should not limit yourself to just one topic. The more topics you read about, the more confident you will be as a writer.

3. Have other writers look through your work

When it comes to gaining true confidence in your writing skills, it always pays to have other writers look through your work. It might be a bit scary at first because you might feel insecure of the quality of your work. However, if you really want to improve as a writer, it is very important that you get other writers to check your work. If they give you positive reviews, then accept their comments and thank them. You should understand though that not all your reviewers will give you a positive review. Some will give negative reviews about your work. This could be a bit disheartening at first, however, if you could overcome these negative reviews, you will gain a great deal of confidence in the long run.

4. Join a writing club

Yet another way to gain confidence as a writer is to join a writing club. These types of clubs are a gathering of writers, and if you spend a good amount of time with other writers, you will be able to learn a lot about being a writer. Writing club members are usually very supportive of one another, so it is a great place for a newbie writer to find his or her writing voice.

5. Edit your drafts as much as possible

One of the best ways to develop confidence in your work, is to edit it as much as possible. Whether you are working on a short article or a novel, it is imperative that you take the editing process as seriously as possible. Double check all your drafts, and make the corrections as soon as possible. The more well-edited your drafts, the more confident you will be in releasing new work.

6. Try out various genres

If you want to be as confident in your writing skills as possible, it is important that you try out various genres. The more multifaceted your writing skills are, the better. If you are going to start writing a book or an author blog, it is important that you focus on one genre. However, it is important to develop your writing skills as well, and the best way to do this, is to experiment with other genres.

7. Research is key

If you want to be confident in your work, you should make it a priority to do your research properly. Even if you are a skilled writer, but the information you use is inaccurate, you will lack confidence in your work. Before you start on any writing project, it is important that you conduct your research as thoroughly as possible.

Conclusion

If you want to become a truly great writer, you should start your writing journey with confidence. The more confident you are, the more you could achieve as a writer. With these tips, you’ll be able to reach all your writing goals.

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