Do You Have Confidence in Your Writing?

Copyblogger.com is one of my favorite SEO resources and one of which I frequent on a daily basis.

Earlier this week, Sean Platt (aka Writer Dad) made a great post about 10 Ways to Avoid Writing Insecurity, so good, that I simply had to share:

10 Ways to Avoid Writing Insecurity

In that same vein, here’s my thoughts in the form of numbers 11 through 15. Enjoy!

1. Thou Shalt Not Be Wordy

   It doesn’t have to be the most magnificent expression your pen has ever writ, but it does have to be good writing. Wordiness is a trap that many writers fall into when feeling insure about the work. While using long words and stringing together adverbs may seem like a good idea, in the end it ruins the entire flow of what you’re working on. Sometimes it helps to be blunt and say exactly what’s on your mind, without having to be poetic.

2. Listen to Feedback

   This is one of the most valuable skills you’ll ever learn. Listening to feedback allows for you to improve your writing skills. Though criticism can be hard to accept at first, it is an invaluable tool. Start sharing your writing with others and see how they feel about it. Are you missing grammatical errors? Is your tone too stiff? How’s the length? Remember, a writer can’t ever reach his or her potential without being willing to share.

3. Practice Makes Perfect

   Write often! This is quite possibly one of the easiest ways to gain confidence in your abilities as a writer. The more you write, the better you will become. It’s that simple. Part of it is because you’re putting your skills to work. Another part is that you are showing a commitment to your work, which can boost your confidence.

4. Study Up

   If you’re writing content or a blog post, make sure your facts are well-researched. Having confidence in your information can lead to a higher comfort level in what you are writing. Research your topics before you unleash your pen.

5. Reading is Key

   It’s true, good readers are often good writers. The more you read, the more likely your mind is to develop ideas using words – so get those pages turning. It helps to see an issue from all sides, so try to open up to new styles or avenues of writing. If you’re a poetry person, try some non-fiction. If you’re a newspaper reader, try a novel. You’ll also find that a new type of reading can help influence your own style of writing.