Overcoming Self-Doubt as a Writer

by Missy Eversole

You’ve got a full cup of coffee or tea, and your computer is waiting for the words to be written. The house is quiet, and it’s finally time to pour into your writing project. 

However, a moment of doubt enters your mind and halts your writing:

Who am I fooling? I’m not a writer!

I will never be as good a writer as so-and-so.

I’ll never be successful as a writer. 

Wrestling with doubts like these can take the joy out of writing and cause us to give up and walk away from the computer. Feeling defeated, we wonder if we truly hear what God is calling us to do. 

While doubt overtakes our minds, we must remember there are ways to tune out those doubts and turn back to our keyboards.

The first thing we need to do is remember to trust God and lean on Him. Remember these wise words from King Solomon: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV). Getting caught up in doubts is easy when we feel alone and isolated in our writing. Remember: God called you to write, and He is there for you. Lean on Him.

Here are some more ways we can get rid of our doubts and find hope in our writing:

1. Pray. When doubts start creeping in, turn to prayer. Share your thoughts, fears and uncertainties with God. Let your prayer time be a conversation where you seek guidance and find comfort in His presence.
2. Read your Bible. Turn to the bestselling book of all time, and let those words pour over you. God’s words are “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12, ESV). Open those precious pages, and find verses that resonate with your struggles. Those words can uplift your spirit and bring clarity to your writing journey.
3. Take a break. Step back and take a break when doubt becomes overwhelming. Spend time doing activities that uplift you: walking, reading, or enjoying quality time with loved ones. 
4. Remember your true identity. Your identity is rooted in Christ, not your doubts or writing struggles. You are fearfully and wonderfully made for a purpose! Trust in God’s plan for your life and writing, and let that truth cancel those doubts.

Remember, friend, doubts may be a part of our writing journey, but they don’t define us. With prayer, the Bible and God by our side, we can navigate through doubt and let our words flow through our fingertips and onto the page. Our words have the power to inspire and uplift others on their own faith journey. 

Cheering you on!

Missy Eversole

What can you do today to get rid of doubts and start writing again? Share your choice in the comments.

Missy Eversole

Missy Eversole is a writer from Morton, Illinois. She is wife to Craig and mom to Grant and Connor. She enjoys family time and the laughter that comes with it. Missy is a contributing blog writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries’ Online Bible Studies, as well as Kingdom Edge Magazine, and is author of Transformed, Not Conformed: Embracing a Life-Changing Approach to Spiritual Habits. She writes about faith and family weekly on her blog at www.missyeversole.com.

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