How To Conquer Fear Of Writing

                           

#Writer's life

Notably, there are a lot of people out there that can speak English Language fluently, but if you ask them to write down what they are saying, they will find it extremely difficult to do so. Why is it so?

The reason is that many speakers of English Language lack writing skills to convey their thoughts into writing. It is against this philosophical dictum that says writing makes you a complete man, spurred many people to develop and sharpen their writing skills through continuous writing. The ability to convey your streams of thought or ideas into writing makes you a different person among your contemporaries.

The pre-occupation of many writers varies from one writer to another and geographical locations; some writers write for pleasure, some write to entertain, while others write to educate the populace. Irrespective of the motives of the writer, writing has a purpose which is meant for.

 Evidently, through writing, many visionary leaders world over have changed the perception and world view they held about the people they are governing. Many wrongs perpetuated against humanity have been exposed daily through writing.

 Also, the passion for writing has a therapeutic effect in healing many hidden wounds. No wonder in the literal world, we are made to see how the pen is mightier than a sword. What an irony?

However, there is no magical way on how to start writing. Just start by writing what is in your mind. It is as simple as that. The biggest hurdle to start writing is not what to write or lack of writer’s platform.  It’s FEAR.

How many people have that spark of inspiration but smother it before they even put the first word on paper? How many more works almost all the way to the finish line only to hold back at the last minute?

Fear of judgment. Fear of failure. Maybe even fear of success. So many fears creep up when we’re about to put our writing out there into the world.

Thankfully, there are ways to conquer these fears. Well, “conquer” might be too strong a word. Let’s say “manage.” Many successful writers have developed skills that help them manage their anxieties around writing.

Leo Babauta, in an article called “How to Put Your Writing in Public,” has written about his process for moving through these common fears. Check out the full article for all the details and context. But I’ll summarize below:

1. Write for one person. There’s no use writing with an imaginary audience of thousands in mind. That’d get confusing pretty quickly. Instead, write as if you’re having a conversation with a single person (a friend, a family member, a specific reader, etc.).

2. Start with a small audience. This advice is particularly helpful if you’re blogging or publishing new content regularly. If you start with a small readership, you’ll be more comfortable and can build your skills quietly. As your audience grows, so will your confidence.

3. Forget about perfection. There’s no such thing as perfect. One man’s trash is another man’s masterpiece. As Leo says, “if you accept that there will be some things you do that are good, and others that are less than good, and that’s part of being a human … you can embrace a wider range of possibilities. You don’t have to hit a home run with every swing.”

4. Be motivated by learning. Be prepared to make mistakes. Then learn from them. Improve. Repeat.

5. Be motivated by helping. If you know that what you have to say can help someone, it’s riskier NOT to publish. Your writing is needed out there in the world.

Leo summarizes his advice with this:

Writing is transformative. It changes you, and the reader. You get feedback from the reader and learn from them. You get accountability and you have to reflect on what you’re learning. You become greater from the attempt to overcome the fear.