Guest post: "The Importance of Believing in Yourself" by Irene S. Roth, author of 'Seasons of Empowerment for Adolescent Girls'

Following-through and being diligent can help a writer be a lot more in control of their writing career and projects.  Are you plagued by fears when you write? Are you always wondering whether you are working on the right project or performing at your optimal level?  Do you always second-guess yourself to the point where you stop to write and answer email or do anything but write?

     If you answered any of these questions in the affirmative, you are probably a fearful writer.  I believe that writers who are fearful lack self-confidence, and when they build up their self-confidence, they will be much more fearless. It is hard to be productive and enjoy writing when you are constantly harassed by negative thoughts and feelings about your ability.  What you need is to become tranquil and peaceful in order to do your best writing. And you can do this with a bit of practise and a change of mindset.

     One of the best ways to assuage your fears as a writer is to not let them overwhelm you during your scheduled writing time. Yes, I know this is easier said than done, but here are a few relatively easy things that you can do to change your mindset.

·       Know which project you want to work on before you sit down to write. This way you won’t have to keep guessing what you have to do. Try to complete all of your goals for the day as you scheduled them. This will give you the self-confidence that you need to develop self-confidence.

·       Have a long range plan and vision for your writing career.  After a few of the writers in my local critique group reflected on their vision and wrote it down they have had very few fears since when they sit down to write. Sometimes knowing where you are going in your writing career and having goals, both short and long-term, can make such a huge difference for your self-confidence as a writer.

·       Make your office space very welcoming and comfortable. Remove all distractions, such as phones and cell phones as well as the internet if possible. If your computer is connected to the internet, turn it off until after you have done your writing!

·       When you come into your office to write, take a moment to connect with your center by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. This will center you and allow you to do your best writing. In addition, you will feel a lot more fearless.

By taking these steps, you can become a much more fearless and self-confident writer. And once you become a more self-confident writer, you will be very productive and happy. And you will also look forward to your writing time. All you need is a change of mindset from passive to proactive.

     Following-through is making sure that you believe in yourself. And believing in yourself can be made quite easy. All of you have to do is take the steps that I have outlined above.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Irene S. Roth is an academic and freelance writer for teens, tweens and kids. She has written over 500 book reviews and 1,000 online articles on different topics for teens, tweens, and about the craft of writing. She also teaches workshops on writing and craft at Savvy Authors. She lives in Stratford, Ontario with her husband and cat. Visit her at https://irenesroth.wordpress.com/

ABOUT HER BOOK

In Seasons of Empowerment for Adolescent Girls, Ms. Roth argues that there are four seasons of empowerment for adolescent girls. Sadly no adolescent girl can simply wake up one day, snap her fingers, and be empowered to tackle the world and all the forces that exist inside and outside. Becoming empowered to be who we are can be truly difficult. This book consists of a step-by-step guide to help adolescent girls achieve self-improvement.

Purchase at Amazon