Conquering Writing Doubt


No matter what you're writing, you'll experience doubt at one point or another.
Whether it's on the first page, halfway through the book, starting the second draft, during publishing, or marketing the published work, doubt will come. 
I'm writing this blog because I've been experiencing a lot of doubt myself recently. 
These are my five favorite tips on overcoming doubt. 

1.  Walk Away
Take a break. Exercise, do some chores, run an errand, get something out of the way.
Walking away from the computer screen can help clear your mind and improve your mood.
Get your mindful minutes in for the day by doing yoga or meditating. 

2. Don't Give Up
Easier said than done, I know. But if you give up now, your novel will never be finished. 
You might think that your book is awful. That you should find something else to do, or crawl under a rock and hide for a few years.
When people say they like your writing, it's hard to tell if they mean it. 
Maybe you're rereading and feel stupid.
But something about your idea made you want to tell people about it.
That's got to be worth something, right?
If you're rewriting, keep in mind that the first, second, and even the third drafts are supposed to be bad. 
These first few drafts are just the basic structure for the final piece.
Don't worry about the quality too much the first time.

3. Recharge Your Creative Juices
I mentioned taking breaks earlier.
This part is about taking a literal break.
Put your novel on pause for the weekend. Watch a feel-good movie, read a book or two, or start another story.
By the time you get back to work, you should be able to work with a fresh point of view. Maybe you'll have some new ideas on how to tackle your latest problem.

4. Recognize Negative Thoughts
Every time you think you won't make it as an author, recognize what's happening.
Recognize the negative thought as what it is: opposition.
Being critical of yourself is okay. One might even say it's essential.
But it isn't your job to hate on yourself.
If someone offers constructive criticism, the best thing to do is accept it.
The advice I've been given is simple: remove the emotion.
Whenever someone critiques you, whether you asked for it or not, remove the emotion. 
Ask yourself:
Do they have a point?
What can I do to heed their advice?
Am I overreacting?
Will I regret this response later?
At the end of the day, they want to help. Especially if you aren't published yet. 

5. Don't Procrastinate
I know what I said about a weekend off.
Taking a break for the sake of your book, for the sake of your mental health, is essential. 
Procrastinating is not.
I understand how difficult it can be to write when you don't believe in yourself.
But putting off the problem will only make it harder to solve.
The important thing to remember here is to push yourself, just not too hard.

That's all for today! Feel free to comment on your favorite methods of conquering self-doubt, ask me about today's topic, or suggest a blog post for next week.

Works Cited
https://litreactor.com/columns/dealing-with-self-doubt-tips-from-7-popular-authors
https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/03/07/how-to-deal-with-self-doubt-as-a-writer/
http://wrex-writes.tumblr.com/post/152999713981/drafting-the-theory-of-shitty-first-drafts
https://stevenpressfield.com/2009/12/writing-wednesdays-18-self-doubt/

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