Confidence is an important attribute of a good writer or any other profession. Confidence can lead a person to feel more assured in what they're doing, to focus on the essential tasks rather than the small details, and to gain motivation.
Although this level of confidence may take time to achieve, there are amazing little differences that can be implemented to help build confidence over time.
Let's talk about skills. As a writer, knowing what you're doing makes you more confident in the writing process. You have to do the research, I'm sorry to break it to you. All those technical goodies need to be brushed up on, constantly.
Some of these things include:
Better word choice. Take out any unnecessary filler words in your writing. This will make your point come across clearer.
Sentence structure. Using proper punctuation can help set the correct mood, and will put the reader in the proper headspace.
Compelling dialogue. Dialogue can feel clunky when it isn't done right, and can ultimately take someone out of the story. Study dialogue and how to make it flow naturally.
Point of view. Make sure that you're not spinning the reader's head around switching between points of view. Make each one memorable.
With technicals now under your belt, it's important to note that other areas can be improved to build overall confidence.
Find your writing community, one that you trust. Like-minded individuals can bounce ideas off each other. A good community will lift you when you're struggling, in any profession, and the same goes for writers. It's also a good idea for beta reading if you're comfortable.
And on the subject of having a community to share your work with, it's important to mention criticism. Criticism is important because it lets you know what can be improved. This means you will have just as many bad comments as good ones. When this happens, focus on who the criticism is coming from. Is it helpful or hurtful? From someone you trust? Know when to log things down to improve on, and when to let the hurtful comments go.
Read, read, and read some more. If you want to become a better writer, books are your textbooks, your study guides, and your best friends. Take each book as a learning experience, from pacing, to plot, to imagination, to character development.
Know that there is always room for improvement. No one knows "the right way" to write. You're going to have shitty first drafts. There are going to be books or stories you write that won't get a lot of attention. With that knowledge, also know that there are endless possibilities as a result of people having different perspectives and imaginations. Someone out there will enjoy reading your work, and you will get to a point where it will all feel worth the trouble.
Overall, be kind to yourself. Writing is a process, and all processes take time and practice. Keep writing, and keep building that confidence <3
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