LMAO. What Dakota said in his tweet is so apt that I couldn't stop myself from writing this blog. For the longest time, I criticized my own writing and ran behind the perfection fancy.
So, you want to write for the digital world? You dream of becoming a writer who creates content that makes people laugh, cry and think. In simple terms, feel an emotion. You want to be someone who brings value to readers' lives through your words...but then your inner critic gets in the way.
Like any artist or creator, you're going to have doubts about your ability because it's human nature—but as long as you don't let them stop you from putting words on paper (or screen), then they'll have no power over you at all!
You Don't Need Permission To Publish
You might find yourself thinking, “I don’t have permission to write cuz I am not good enough.” But you do. Hive is permissionless, you see. xD
You have your own voice, and you can use it any way you want to. It's your birthright.
You don't need anyone's permission to publish what you write on the Internet; this is an amazing time for people who want their voices heard and valued. Remember that we live in a world where people get paid thousands of dollars a month just for voicing opinions on platforms like YouTube or Twitter—and they're doing good work!
So use your words: share them with the world by writing as much as possible, because there are so many stories out there that need telling right now.
Embrace The Role Of A Reporter
The first step in dealing with your inner critic is to shift your mindset from writer to reporter. Instead of writing a blog post, think about what it would be like for you to write a newspaper article about the problem you're trying to solve.
If you're hoping that people will find value in buying a product or service, ask yourself what problem they're trying to solve by doing so. What are their needs and wants? How can you make them aware of how buying your product will help them achieve their goal?
Once we've defined the problem that needs solving and why it's important, we can start thinking about solutions. Just as there is no one right way to write an article or tell a story, there's no one right way (or wrong way) for someone else's website copy—or even yours—to come across either. You just need to keep asking yourself if it's getting across effectively enough for people who read it to understand where they should go next.
Share With An Authentic Voice
One of the best ways to combat self-doubt is to share your own voice. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, and don’t worry about being perfect or making every word perfect—just write honestly.
One thing that I do in my writing is talk about myself. While it can be uncomfortable, it also helps me connect with readers. One thing I learned from reading other writers was that many of them shared personal experiences in their content; because those experiences are humanizing, they make the writer more relatable and likable.
When I started writing on Hive, it took me a while before I was able to bring myself out into the open like this (and I still have days where it's difficult). But as soon as I did start sharing personal experiences and stories, my writing became stronger and more authentic than ever before!
Don't Fear Failure
It's okay if you don't succeed right away.
It's okay if your first draft doesn't turn out the way you planned it.
It's okay if no one wants to read what you've written because that means there is room for improvement!
Failure is part of the process: sometimes we just write something really bad and then delete it from our drafts folder forever, but sometimes we'll write something really great and then submit it somewhere else so other people can see how awesome we are too!
So don't let your inner critic keep telling you that failure is unacceptable—instead, embrace failure as a learning experience so that next time around will be even better than before!
Find Inner Coach
When you write, your inner critic will do everything it can to convince you that what you're writing isn't good enough. It might tell you that your ideas aren't interesting, or that they aren't unique enough. It could even try to convince you that it's impossible for anyone else to enjoy the story and characters that have been taking shape in your mind.
Please accept your own unique voice and personality as a writer and make it your inner coach! Embrace yourself for who you are and keep working towards your goals, even if that means facing some fears along the way.