Throughout history, some of the most skillful artists have been known to deal with self-doubt. If you’re like me (and most writers out there), you’ll have moments of weakness when self-doubt is that quiet voice in your head telling you you’re not good enough, smart enough, talented enough, or worthy of being heard. Self-doubt can be harmful to your creative process, and can cause writer's block, low self-esteem, and overall feelings of unworthiness. As a writer, self-doubt is that inner critic that creeps up to tell you that you aren’t good enough, or that your writing isn’t worthy of being published. Self-doubt is a combination of our fears, getting stuck in the comparison trap, and even a lack of self-love or confidence. If it's the latter, you need to take control of your self-doubt and learn how to stop it in its tracks. You may start to question, “ Who am I to write a book? Is it even good? Will people even buy it?”ĭo you spend your precious time building yourself up with kind words and positive thoughts, or do you harshly compare yourself to others? Here are the steps to overcome self-doubt as a writer: Or you might be someone who is quickly reminded of your imperfections and doubts start to flood your mind.Įven if you’re more of an optimist than a pessimist, you can have attacks of self-doubt. You might be someone who is graced with the ability to draw your attention to your beauty and strengths. When you look at yourself in the mirror, or think of your identity as a writer, what thoughts come to mind? And any seasoned or aspiring author can tell you how harmful this is as you write a book. Dealing with self-doubt as a writer can hinder your creative process and block your freedom of expression.

Doubts by Sunhawk16