How I overcame my fear of writing
Tags: todayilearned, 30daysofwriting, beginners, motivation
Published: 2019-11-18 01:18:31

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I am new to blogging. To get into the habit of writing, I set a goal to [write daily for 30 days](https://dev.to/codebalance/30-days-of-writing-3lcg) - but had to overcome several issues first that kept me from getting started.

Are you ...

* new to blogging and don't know where to begin?
* scared to put yourself out there? 
* worried that you have nothing worthwhile to contribute? 
* not sure how to structure your blog posts? 
* getting stuck on markdown details? 
* wondering how to add emojis to your dev.to posts?

I'm with you! This is what I've learned, maybe it will resonate with you. If not, please share your own experiences & thoughts in the comments below to help your fellow devs!

## My obstacles & how I hacked them

### 😱 Fear of authenticity & vulnerability 
Being authentic and vulnerable is hard, and online shaming is real (thankfully [not allowed on dev.to](https://dev.to/code-of-conduct)). Sharing your thoughts, experiences, and knowledge online with the entire world means you have to be courageous, vulnerable, and open to criticism.

My discovery of [Brené Brown](https://brenebrown.com/) and [Gabor Maté](https://drgabormate.com/) helped me understand why I struggle with vulnerability and authenticity, and that it's worth to overcome those fears to live wholeheartedly, to tell your story, and connect with people. To get an intro, check out these videos on [vulnerability](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o) and [authenticity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3bynimi8HQ).

> “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” - Brené Brown

### 😟 "I have nothing new to contribute"

This kept me from writing my own content for many years - even though I always wanted to! There are plenty of reasons to start blogging. Making a list of your "why" will not only help you overcome self-doubt when you need it most but also give your blog a common thread.

Here is a list of my reasons to start writing:
* I love writing - I have journals and handwritten notes everywhere. Maybe going online will help me declutter my home? 😜
* I choose to [learn in public](https://dev.to/miku86/learn-in-public-4jl2).
* Writing helps me to structure and remember what I'm learning.
* I can use my blog posts as a library of my knowledge that I can refer to later on.
* I've been inspired by numerous blog posts written by "ordinary" people, and I am very grateful to have found those. Even though it's not the main reason for me to write, the likelihood of someone getting inspired by what I write is `L >= 0`, which is good enough for me 😉
* It helps me practice vulnerability & authenticity.
* Getting the [social media dopamine boost](https://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-to-your-brain-like-instagram-dopamine-2017-3) when people like my content is fun and the least damaging when applied to blogging 🤪

### 🤔 I don't know where to begin
Just write about what you're currently learning, working on, thinking about, dreaming of, creating, contributing to, or wondering about. Simple as that 🙃

### 🗂 How should I structure my blog posts?
A simple structure like this will do:
![alt text](https://i.imgur.com/MCydNIq.png)

I found [this article](https://www.writerscookbook.com/how-structure-blog-post/) helpful.

I enjoy visual blog posts and like to create my own images, GIFs, and visualizations to explore and express my creativity. I do currently use the following tools:
* iPad Pro + Apple Pencil + [Tayasui Sketches](https://tayasui.com/sketches/)
* [Giphy account](https://giphy.com/channel/kosekatteunge) to create & upload my GIFs
* [Imgur account](https://imgur.com/user/kosekatt) to upload my images

### 🙈 I keep putting it off
I tend to procrastinate when I'm supposed to do something that feels uncomfortable (like writing!). After taking the infamous ["Learning How To Learn"](https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn) course on [Coursera](https://www.coursera.org/), I've learned that the icky feeling I get when I'm supposed to do something I find difficult is actual pain. Procrastination simply helps to avoid feeling this pain!

Understanding that helped me be more compassionate and patient with myself. It was also helpful to hear that the pain subsides shortly after you get started on your task and that the [pomodoro technique 🍅](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique) is a powerful tool to overcome this problem. I like to use [this app on my mac](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/be-focused-pro-focus-timer/id961632517?mt=12).

### ℹ How to format & spell check your blog post
* [Markdown Cheat Sheet](https://github.com/adam-p/markdown-here/wiki/Markdown-Cheatsheet)
* [How to add emojis](https://dev.to/codebalance/how-do-you-pimp-your-blog-post-1blb) to dev.to posts
* [Grammarly](https://www.grammarly.com/) if English is not your strongest suit or native language.

## Summary
Writing is not easy but well worth the effort and time. If you struggle with getting started, you might want to take some time to identify your personal obstacles and find strategies on how to overcome them.

Share your personal experience with blogging in the comments below!