Category Archives for Creativity

Your 2023 Guide to Holiday Gifts for Writers

70 Gifts for Writers – Craft Your Content’s 2022 Holiday Gift Guide

How To Overcome Self Doubt and Build Self-efficacy in Your Writing

We’ve all been there. That paralysing thought that we’re not good enough. It can be fearful and crippling all at the same time. I don’t know about you, but I love reading self-help books or biographies where the author admits to their own failings and mistakes. It makes me feel “normal.” 

Occasionally, there are those books where the author never seems to stumble, never falls short of their goals, and this seems so far removed from reality that it’s hard to really believe in their story. There may be some perfect human beings out there—but I doubt it.

So, what is writers’ self-doubt? 

It can be a combination of our fears, getting stuck in the comparison trap, or a lack of self-confidence. It’s our inner critic that whispers in our ears, “you’re not good enough,” “your writing isn’t worthy of being published.”

These feelings are normal. And the hard truth is that self-doubt will never completely go away—sorry. 

As writers, when we refer to self-doubt, we also need to consider the counterbalance to doubt: the concept of self-efficacy. Bruning et al., describe self-efficacy as the confidence we possess to perform consistently. It’s a willingness to engage and persist in the process of writing even when we are confronted with difficulties or distractions.

The act of writing takes effort and reflects our own unique writing experiences. These experiences can range from self-judgement about our success on tasks to feelings of anxiety and frustration.

As humans, we will never be perfect, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep on learning, growing wiser, and taking action, even when we don’t feel like it or don’t believe we can.

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Watch What You Sip: A Beverage Guide for Writers

Admit it: you’ve got a cup of coffee in front of you right now.

As you sip that steaming foam of goodness, close your eyes and ask yourself the following questions.

Why am I drinking this?

Seriously, why am I drinking this?

A precious few writers might be able to give answers with substance. But the rest of us will probably just shrug and say, “It tastes good” before taking another blissful swig.

For sure, a nice beverage brings comfort to a writer facing a deadline. However, beyond the pleasure of our taste buds, we need to find more compelling reasons for the drinks that we choose. Different drinks have distinct effects, both good and bad. If we don’t watch what we sip—or, indeed, how often we sip it—the effects on our health and our writing will be undeniable. Now that would be tough to swallow, wouldn’t it?

In this article, it’s mugs and glasses galore as I take the drinks out of the fridge and into your consciousness. Having done my homework on the nutrition side of things, I present to you the physiological effects of beverages we tend to sip while working. I’ll tell you which drinks keep you sharp, which drinks stimulate your ideas, and which ones are, well, just plain trouble.

Thirsty for the facts? Let’s dive right in!

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