For some writers, confidence is easy. They seem naturally inclined toward this steady and comforting attribute. For others, it’s a journey or even a hard-won battle. Here is a truth that may be difficult to accept or surprising to learn: Confidence can also be a choice.

Confidence as a writer/author involves a number of factors. In this article, I will cover some important aspects in the process of realizing your confidence.

·        Identify success. First of all and probably most important to your confidence as a writer, you must feel that you are successful at what you do. Before you can make this determination, however, you must first be able to define success. And the definition of success is different for everyone. For some, success means writing what he or she wants to write and being happy with the result. The accomplishment is the reward. For others, critical acclaim is desired. For this writer, success involves recognition by readers and other authors. There are also those who write for a living. If they are able to earn their livelihood via their writing, they feel successful. Still others only claim success if their writing has engendered change, served to empower, or brought about enlightenment. And to many, it can be any combination of these factors, or ones not mentioned. In other words, there are many ways to define success. Only you can determine what success means to you. It’s a very individual and personal measurement. Once you have identified what success means to you, you then have a practical goal for your writing and you can gear your work toward that end.

·        Preparation. Nothing breeds confidence like solid preparation. Learn your craft. If you want to be a writer, you must read, and read a lot. It’s not reasonable to assume you can develop expertise in any pursuit with which you are unfamiliar. Don’t be afraid of instruction. Take classes in writing. Do writing exercises. Write a lot; hone your skills. Along those same lines, give yourself the basic tools you will need. Study grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Read articles about writing. Writing advice is abundant, especially on the internet. If it’s good advice, heed it. If it’s not, then discard it. Develop and nurture your style. Revise and rewrite your work where necessary. Produce the best possible content, a quality product of which you can be proud.

·         Believe in yourself. A support system is a wonderful thing to have, but not everyone is lucky enough to have one. Therefore, you must learn to be your own cheerleader. Your feelings of self-worth are too important to leave to the fickle whims of others. If you are unused to thinking this way, reevaluate your approach. If you have done your best and you know you have produced a quality piece of writing, allow yourself to recognize this fact. Do not rely on the opinions of others for your feelings of gratification. Now, if positive others want to encourage your writing and pay you compliments, by all means be gracious enough to accept their generous support. But keep the control of your self-esteem firmly in your own hands. Give yourself pep talks, if necessary. Steer clear of negative thinking (and negative people) and realize that you deserve to enjoy the security of self-confidence as much as the next person does.

·        Enjoy what you do. If you constantly stress, worry, and fret over your writing, it’s time to ask yourself why you write. To me, writing is the best job in the world. I’m not saying it has no downside, but it should bring you joy or answer a need or desire. It never hurts to remind yourself of the reason(s) you took up writing in the first place so you can recalibrate and once again experience the pleasure of your craft.

Allow me to summarize. Once you have identified what success means to you and set up a plan for achieving that success, you will feel greater control over your destiny. This in itself is a tremendous boon to confidence. If you then prepare yourself for success by studying and honing your craft, you add another level of certainty to your self-assurance. Encourage yourself in your pursuits; don’t leave it to others. And finally, rediscover the joy of writing. Claim your confidence. You’ve earned it!



Author bio:

Bernard Hope is semi-retired and now devotes much of his time to writing, mostly nonfiction. He has worked many jobs in his lifetime, including musician, crisis counselor, and teacher, among others. He settled in the Midwest with his wife of thirty years and his cat, Larry. He enjoys spending time with his wife, purposeful serenity, leisurely walks, reading, and studying subjects of interest. He has authored two short self-help publications: Positive Affirmations for Confidence and Positive Affirmations for Performing Musicians. Bernard is working on several books at this time. He does not have a website, but you can connect with him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bernardhopebook though he admits he has not kept up a regular Twitter presence.

 

 

Positive Affirmations for Performing Musicians contains 50 uplifting affirmations, a foreword by the author, and a list of inspirational quotes for performing artists. In this concise guide, the reader is introduced to the benefit of empowering affirmations to enhance performance by utilizing the power of positive inner dialogue. Approx. 2600 words



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