Last Updated on February 3, 2021 by Kelly Thoreson
Hey bloggers, raise your hand if any of the following thoughts sound familiar:
“This blog post idea is stupid, no one’s going to read it.”
“My writing sucks.”
“I have no right to blog about this because I’m just a newbie.”
You and me both, sister.
That self-doubt is something every blogger has dealt with.
We’ve all got that self-deprecating asshole inside our head…
Telling us we’re just faking it…
We should pack it in…
That we might as well curl up in the shower with a bottle of 3-dollar Cab and Nothing Compares 2 U on repeat…
But we don’t have to listen to that voice. We can banish imposter syndrome from our writing and say, “not today, asshole!”
Let’s look at 6 tips for slaying self-doubt so you can get to publishing blog posts like a boss.
#1 Accept the Fear
Learning to write blog posts in spite of self-doubt is more about acceptance of the fear than killing it.
Fear and creation go hand-in-hand.
Elizabeth Gilbert (of Eat, Pray, Love notoriety) describes fear and creation as twins, wherever one goes – the other is sure to follow.
“Creativity can ONLY coexist with alongside fear.”
– Elizabeth Gilbert
She recommends having an honest conversation with your fear.
Let fear know that you see it, and know that it’s gonna hang around like a bad smell, but that it doesn’t get a say in the direction of your writing.
By accepting self-doubt in writing instead of repressing, you rob it of its power.
Related Reading: How to Be More Creative So You Can Write Tons of Blog Posts
#2 Call Out Self-Doubt
In order to be able to accept the fear that comes with blog post writing, you have to be able to recognize it.
Become familiar with what self-doubt:
- Feels like
- Looks like
- Sounds like
so that when those feelings bubble to the surface, you can confidently label and call them out as fears, not facts.
This can be accomplished with a little mindfulness exercise.
The next time you’re trying to write a blog post and self-doubt keeps getting in the way, stop and ask yourself the following questions:
- Feel: What physical sensations is this causing in my body? (example: I grind my teeth when self-doubt kicks in)
- Look: What is happening in my writing at this moment? (example: when I’m experiencing self-doubt in my blog post writing, I can only write a sentence or two at a time before stopping and harshly criticizing my work)
- Sound: What stories is my mind telling me right now? (example: my mind likes to tell me that my writing sucks and no one will read it)
Bonus points: journal out rebuttals to the lies your mind comes up with.
Revisit those rebuttals when you experience self-doubt in writing, it’s like having an arsenal of logical arguments against self-deprecating thoughts.
#3 Fake it Til You Make it
We all start out as imposters.
If no one ever had the balls to fake confidence until they actually had it, no one would ever do anything.
Everyone starts somewhere, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
As long as you’re not claiming to be a doctor and spewing bad medical advice online, there is nothing wrong with blogging about your niche as you learn.
Related reading: Writer’s Block Cures: 5 Tips to Get You Unstuck & Writing Blog Posts
#4 Focus on Delivery, Not on Perfection
Are you a perfectionist?
If so, the accusatory prick inside your head is probably louder than others.
Let’s do a little Q&A to nip this in the bud:
Q: What is the worst thing that will happen if my blog post isn’t perfect?
A: Blog posts are 100% editable later.
Q: What if my idea doesn’t resonate with my audience?
A: You will have a clearer idea of what your avatar is looking for (by knowing what they’re not looking for).
Q: What if I, “waste time” writing a blog post no one reads?
A: All practice is good practice. The more you write, the better you become.
Let go of the idea that your post needs to be perfect: write to serve your audience. Edit. Publish. Repeat.
Related reading: 7 Ways to Write Fast Blog Posts (that don’t suck)
#5 Show up As Yourself
One sure-fire way to feel like an imposter is to be one.
Write as yourself and no one else.
If you are censoring your authentic voice in order to appeal to a mass audience – knock that shit off right now.
Have you heard the saying, “a jack of all trades is a master of none”?
Well, a blogger who wants everyone to like them is boring, follower-less, and broke.
“Don’t write to be liked, write to be remembered.”
Chuck palahnuik
Be polarizing.
Write the thoughts you believe but, “shouldn’t say”.
Be YOU.
Not only will you feel much better about your writing, but you will weed out the readers that aren’t for you and garner a die-hard following in those who stay.
But … What If I Don’t KNOW Who I Am Yet?
Dunno what your blog writing style IS? The truth is, most bloggers don’t when we’re just starting out, so …
TAKE THE QUIZ
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
#6 Wait to Edit if You Can
I know that as bloggers we are all busy churning and burning, putting out content at breakneck speed to keep up with Google and our competition.
I get that it feels like you are always two (or 25) steps behind and you just wanna get that post up so you can move onto the next task.
But, there are advantages to editing 24 hours after you finish writing your first draft:
- You’re less emotionally involved in the piece
- Easier to catch grammar and spelling errors
Sometimes, if I edit too quickly, I end up deleting whole paragraphs, telling myself that my writing sucks and I’ll never make it as a blogger.
That is an emotional reaction, not a logical one.
It’s also considerably easier to spot grammar, spelling, and organizational errors after you’ve put some space between you and your writing.
Wait to edit and the self-doubt will naturally be quieter.
Related reading: 5 Weird Ways to Improve Your Blog Writing
Conclusion
Now that you’ve learned how to spot self-doubt, you can accept it, and continue on creating the bitch’n blog posts you were born to write!
If you need a little extra help with your blog writing (most of us do!) be sure to check out my free blog writing Facebook group for the most supportive community of bloggers on the web!