New Content Writers - Mastering Your Fears and Building Confidence

Practical advice and encouragement for new writers facing self-doubt

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Starting as a content writer can be exciting and intimidating.

I remember those days. The first time I had to publish an article, I told my best friend I felt like an imposter. I was scared! There was no way anyone was going to read it. The first article I wrote for Medium was on October 9, 2021. But I did it. I pushed that publish button.

As a veteran writer, I can tell you that your fears are understandable. The good news is that you can overcome them. Let’s look at some ways you can do it.

Fear of Inadequate Skills

Many writers who are starting out worry that their skills are not good enough. Their self-doubt tends to sabotage them and leave them with imposter syndrome. This syndrome makes you doubt your skills and successes. This is a part of the learning process. Even today, veterans still experience imposter syndrome sometimes.

You can overcome the fear of not having enough skills in several ways. The first way is to take writing courses. The American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI) is one such organization that offers copywriting, content writing, and graphic design home-study classes. Other websites you can look into are Coursera and Udemy.

The second way to alleviate those fears is to practice, practice, and practice more. Setting aside 15 minutes daily to write whatever is on your mind is an excellent way to build consistency.

Fear of Rejection

Some of my articles have been rejected. Look, I’m still alive. Rejection is not the end of the world. It happens.

One of the best ways to overcome my rejection is to get feedback from friends and communities. I belong to several writing communities in Slack, and the comfort and support I receive is immeasurable.

Another way to fight rejection fears is to view it as a learning experience. Each “no” brings you that much closer to “yes.”

Fear you won’t be able to make enough money

Writers are not exempt from this fear, especially with the economy the way it is. One way to combat this fear is to budget wisely and build a client base on freelance writing platforms. Independent contractors can make money on Upwork and Fiverr, among others.

The fear of not making enough money often goes hand-in-hand with the fear of not being good enough. Writing is hard work. I will admit it. But if you are consistent, persistent, and work hard, then the money will come. – Frank A. Clark

Fear of competition

Yes, you are right; competition for content writers is fierce. I will share an article published on Content Writer on LinkedIn that will help alleviate this fear.

There are 3.32 billion employed people in the world.

46.6% of them are self-employed - so 1.54 billion people are freelancers.

Writers make up 8-10% of all freelancers. Therefore, the total number of copywriters and content writers is 123 million people.

And how many clients are there?

The global number of companies is 334 million.

73% of them use content marketing.

So, 239 million companies use the services of writers.

This huge market has not yet exhausted its potential - new clients and writers are still appearing.

Companies need writers and pay good money to have content writers supply everything from blog posts, case studies, website content, whitepapers, articles, emails, and social media posts. And that is just a minute portion of the market.

Now that you can shut down the fear of not making enough money, let’s look at the next fear you might have.

Fear of Technology and Tools

As much as you think that the technology you need for content writing is too expensive for your budget, you don’t have to spend as much as you think. For example, to be a digital content writer, you only need a laptop or a desktop; internet access; a word processor; an application for checking your grammar, spelling, and punctuation; and maybe an online thesaurus; you’re ready to go.

As you get better at mastering your confidence and incoming cash flow, you can add more applications as you go along. Learn one tool at a time. You can start with Google Docs as your word processor. Then, as you get better, you can switch to Microsoft Word.

In addition, plenty of online tutorials and courses help teach you what you don’t know.

Now, let’s move on to the last fear you might encounter as a new content writer.

The fear of isolation

You may feel that you’ll be locking yourself in your home office for 10-12 hours daily and feel isolated. Oh no, not at all. The overall benefit of becoming a new content writer is that you control your life. You say when you want a break or when you want to socialize, and online communities are a great way to do this.

But wait a minute. Who says you can’t go out and socialize? Do you want to interact with your friends physically? Well then, you have complete freedom to do so.

Overcoming your fears and mastering your confidence is an adventure. You, my friend, have nothing to fear. Understanding your fears and taking proactive steps will help you build confidence and succeed in the freelance kingdom.

Remember, every new writer faces challenges, but you can do it. What matters is how you address them.

You can do anything you can do; all you have to do is say “I CAN.” – Pam Lokker

Helpful References

Some of these are affiliate links. I will receive a small amount of money if you use my link to make a purchase.

Coursera: www.coursera.org

Upwork: upwork.com

Grammarly: grammarly.com

AWAI Barefoot Writer: Barefoot Writer