Simple Ways to Boost Your Confidence as a Writer by Brenda Berg offers advice for beginning and experienced writers along with several tools that can get you going and ignite your passion for getting your message out. Also, check out Brenda’s blog.

Introduction

• Writing is one of the most peculiar and intriguing careers for an individual to pursue. You could be writing for blogs, websites or maybe you’re thinking of writing your own best-selling novel? Regardless of what platform you’re writing for, the concept and practice remain the same. You spend a lot of time writing for people you’ll never meet and a lot of time online in front of a screen or empty book.
• As with any profession, there’ll be times when you feel like the world is against you. Writer’s block, low self-esteem or lack of confidence in your work are all feelings that come naturally to the job, but it’s worth remembering that these feelings are only temporary. If you’re starting feel like you are in a rut, here are some solid tips to get your head straight and to help get you back on your feet!

Believe In Yourself

• There’s no such thing as an aspiring writer. If you write for your passion or as a career, you are a writer. The only way to move forward is to believe in yourself and push yourself to become a better writer, a published writer or even a critically acclaimed writer. You are what you are, use this knowledge to make the most of your opportunities.

Balance Your Feelings On Feedback

• Yes, as a writer, client feedback is crucial to your success and will be one of the most important features to securing those high profile jobs. However, it’s vital that you remember that every client is different and will have different thoughts and feelings on your work. You may have written an article for a client that thought the work was okay or had a ton of revisions to make but that is just one client.
• There are countless clients out there who are in constant need of content. It’s your job to get out there and find the ones for you. As a word of advice, the vast majority of publications demand to see written and referred sources to verify the authenticity of the written work. A vital tool to help you achieve this professional is the online tool Cite It In. This godsend of a tool allows you to add citations and sources to your work whilst maintaining a professional and formal style.

Balance Your Life

• As mentioned above, writing is a lonely activity. It can be hard to concentrate in busy or public environments which is why writers tend to shut themselves off from the world to work. Although vital, this can cause writers to feel down, isolated and even disconnected from their loved ones.
• To combat these feelings and to put a smile back on your face, balance your lifestyle. Everybody has the same amount of hours in the day to find the time to cook meals you want to eat, find the time to spend with family, friends and loved ones, and find the time to exercise and sleep well. It can be stressful to think how many deadlines you have approaching but the trick is not to worry. Take a deep breath. Things take time and your clients will understand that.

Share Your Work

• This is particularly important if you’re writing content such as a book or novel that may not be published for some time. Confidence in yourself and your abilities can plummet if you don’t receive some kind of feedback and you can begin to doubt yourself and your skills. As the old saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. This means that you don’t have to constantly be working on your project for it to be a success.
• Work on other projects such as a blog or writing articles. Not only will this improve your writing skill and bring variation to your workload, you’ll be able to communicate with other people through your work, initiate conversations and connect with like-minded people that can help to boost your confidence tenfold.
• For example, you can use community resources like State of Writing and Viawriting for writing help and information, and share work and communicate with other writers from around the world. Use this tool to become a part of an exclusive online community that can rebuild your confidence and help you get your head back in the game.

Live For Your Passions

• Many writers began their writing careers because it was their passion to write. The ability to communicate with friends and strangers using your own voice to air your opinions, thoughts, ideas, concepts and ultimately, change the world for the people we have engaged.
• Whatever the reason you began writing, don’t lose heart. Return to the source of your motivation and rediscover that spark you felt in the first steps of your career. It could be a novel, an article, or some sort of content that inspired you to pursue a career in writing. By reigniting that flame, you can experience those feelings once again and regain confidence in your work.
• If you’re finding it difficult to get motivated to write, use an online tool such as Easy Word Count. (Doug: You word processor also probably will do word counts.) This is a great tool to help you make writing a daily part of your life and therefore become a habit. Set yourself a word target and track your efforts using the tool. A good starting point would be to write a 1000 word blog post every day on a subject of your choosing.
• To summarize, every writer will go through these feelings at one stage or another. The best advice I can give is to take a step back, breathe, evaluate your lifestyle and your work and make the decisions that are best for you, empowering you to get back on your feet and carry on the path to your own success!

Brenda Berg

• Brenda is a professional with over 15 years experience in business management, marketing, and entrepreneurship. She is based in Phoenix, AZ, USA. She is a part-time freelance writer, who is encouraged to travel around the world and share gained experience. She is passionate about covering topics on writing, business, and self-development. Check out her blog at Letsgoandlearn.com and follow her on Twitter @BrebdaJBerg.

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