A Dozen Ways to Build Your Confidence as a Writer

It's tough being a writer, especially if you're just starting out.

Rejection can easily tear down what little self-confidence you have, so here are a dozen ways to build your confidence as a writer.

1. Do Something First Thing Every Morning That Makes You Feel Good About Yourself.

It might even make you feel powerful.

Go for a jog, do some exercises, take a shower and get dressed even if you won't be leaving the house all day.

Clean your office, put flowers on your desk.

Do one small thing that celebrates YOU.

2. Expect to Be Successful.

Once you do, make sure that every thought, statement, and action reflects that expectation all day long.

Another thing to consider: What someone says about you can help you create a totally different and new expectation for yourself - so get a friend to write out a positive statement about you.

Then notice how you strive to LIVE according to that statment every day.

Eliminate the self-doubt and negative thoughts in your head. Also, monitor the statements you make to others.

Avoid statements that begin with:

I can't...

I don't...

I'm stressed...

I'll try, but....

I have to...

3. Focus on Others Instead of Yourself.

As a writer, who is your reader?

Who is your customer?

How can you serve this customer and how can you get better and better at serving him?

When you're out of the house - make a point to give a stranger or a friend or relative a compliment.

Focus on them.

Ask them about their day.

When someone asks you how you are or are things are going - immediately say "GREAT" and believe it!

4. Don't Think about Success Too Much.

If you do, you're actually thinking about failure, not success.

Failure is about doubt and worry and stress.

Success is about letting go, going with the flow, feeling vibrant, excited, and full of energy.

When you expect success, you can begin to focus on the actions you must take rather than wallowing in self-doubt over the actions you have already taken.

Just keep taking action.

5. Avoid Living, Thinking, and Working in a Panic Mode.

This is when negative statements creep into your head and your language that do not serve you or others well.

6. Don't Compare Yourself with Others.

You are unique.

It might take you 10 years to accomplish something someone else did in 2 years, but so what?

Maybe you will learn so much more along the way than that other person did.

7. Realize that GOD, the Universe (whatever it is that controls the world) Wants Each of Us to Succeed Because When We Succeed We Serve the World in Greater and Deeper Ways.

Faith is not so much about faith in God as it is faith in the divinity within you.

Trust yourself to be able to handle anything you need to handle, to be able to do anything you need to do when, and if, you need to do it.

But don't spend time worrying or even thinking about this ahead of time.

8. Fake it Till You Make It.

Act confident even if you don't really feel that way at first.

Make it a game.

But haven't you ever noticed that the people who are truly the MOST confident are not arrogant?

In fact, some of the most confident people are the most gentle people you will ever meet.

9. Don't Be Ruled by Your Ego.

If someone does something you don't like, or says something to you that you find insulting, practice relaxing and let it flow right through you.

10. At the End of each Day, Make a List of the Things You Did That Day That You are proud of.

This could be simple things like folding the laundry, making dinner, or writing one scene of your novel.

11. Every Morning, be Grateful for Another Exciting Day Full of Pleasant Possibilities.

12. Be Sure You Hang Around Successful, Positive People.

Use this list today to start building your confidence as a writer.

You can do it.

Try it!

Suzanne Lieurance is a freelance writer, the author of 35 published books, and a writing coach.

Visit her blog at www.writebythesea.com.

Register for her free newsletter for writers - The Morning Nudge - at www.morningnudge.com.