Let me guess…
Every success in your writing career has been a fluke.
When people praise your work, they don’t know what they’re talking about.
You’ll never measure up. You’re not a real writer. And any day now, everyone will see you for the fraud that you are.
That’s how you feel, anyway.
You read other blogs and feel crushed at how little you know and how little you have to offer. You wonder why you would even bother starting your own blog when so many great writers do it way better than you ever could.
Well, here’s a secret …
Those writers you admire probably feel the exact same way.
Even famous writers like Neil Gaiman, Tina Fey, and Seth Godin are on record that they still feel like frauds — like they don’t deserve their success and they’re getting away with something.
We all do.
The Voice Inside My Head That Tells Me I’m Unworthy
I have been a freelance writer for over three years, but I still feel I have no right to claim that title — writer.
I have a nagging voice inside my head that constantly reminds me of my unworthiness. It tells me to give up before I’m laughed off the Internet. That I’ll never compare to other writers — the real ones.
It provides a symphony of thoughts like:
“Who do you think you are?”
“Why would anyone care what you have to say?”
“Sooner or later, they’ll find out you have no clue what you’re doing.”
I call this voice the “Imp.” Her full name is Imposter Syndrome, and chances are you’ve already met. If you’ve ever had that dread of being outed as a fraud because you don’t stack up to other writers, you’ve experienced Imposter Syndrome, and you have an Imp of your own.
Imposter Syndrome is common across industries, but writers are especially susceptible.
Why is that?
Why Do We Feel Like Frauds All the Frickin’ Time?
Writing is a peculiar profession.
One thing that sets us apart is that we work in isolation.
That means nobody’s around to tell us we’re doing a great job until we put it out there for total strangers to judge. We’ll often work for a while on a project with no direct feedback, so it’s easy to start second-guessing our ability.
We have nobody to discuss our doubts with, so we are locked into internal conversations, which makes the Imp’s voice sound all the louder.
Working in isolation also means we don’t have any peers around to compare ourselves with, which leads us to compare ourselves with industry giants. No wonder we feel like we don’t measure up!
This also leads to us to create standards for ourselves that don’t exist. After all, you don’t see the time and effort other writers put in. You just see the result. That blog post that seems so effortless could be the result of weeks of work. But when you fail to churn out a perfect first draft, it means you’re an amateur.
The writing profession becomes even more dangerous when you step outside your comfort zone. You may have pitched an article to a large publication, and to your horror, they actually said yes. Then the insecurity takes hold and the fear of being exposed as an imposter rears its familiar head.
Sigh …
So are we doomed to deal with this nagging voice throughout our profession?
I’ll be honest; you may never fully get rid of it.
But you can learn to live with it.
How to Beat Imposter Syndrome: 4 Tips from a Writer Who Knows How You Feel
The first step on your road to recovery is to be aware that isolation, new challenges, and pointless comparisons are common causes of Imposter Syndrome. You may not always be able to avoid them, but if you are mindful of their effect, it will help you wrestle your Imp to the ground when needed.
And here’s how to do it.
#1. End the Isolation and Surround Yourself with Writers
The first step to beating Imposter Syndrome is to tackle one of its main causes: isolation.
You need to make friends with other writers who are at the same stage in their careers. You need to have people around you who understand you, who make you feel part of the writing community instead of an intruder.
Here are a few ways to meet other writers:
- Join online writing communities (forums, Facebook groups, etc.)
- Find local writing meetups on meetup.com.
- Attend writing or blogging conferences.
Meet writers who are your peers, see who you get along with, and then join or start a mastermind group. Get together every week with a small group of people (around 4–6) and discuss what you’ve been up to and what’s been on your mind.
Share your fears and frustrations, and find comfort and reassurance in your similar experiences. You’ll inspire and encourage each other to grow as writers.
And as you grow, give back to the community by mentoring less experienced writers. Not only will you be helping others, your confidence will strengthen as you prove to yourself you do know what you’re doing and people do care what you have to say.
It’s rewarding and empowering at the same time.
#2. Prepare for Failure AND Success (Because Both Can Be Crippling)
The Imp comes with a cruel twist. It won’t just berate you for failures; it will berate you for successes as well.
When a pitch is rejected or an article bombs, your Imp will use it to convince you that you don’t have what it takes. Having a few failures in a row can make you want to curl up in a ball of despair.
On the other hand, when your writing is successful and gets glowing responses, your Imp will convince you it was a fluke. It will make you feel like you’ve now set expectations you’ll never be able to meet again.
The effect is the same. You procrastinate.
Because no idea feels good enough. You never feel prepared enough. And nothing you write feels like it stacks up.
You get stuck over-analyzing and don’t start anything new.
But the trick to beating your Imp is to keep yourself busy. Because the more you have on your mind, the less time you have to listen to that debilitating inner voice.
So prepare for these situations by creating an action plan. Have a list of tasks ready for whenever they come up, so you won’t have time to drive yourself crazy.
For example, when a pitch is rejected, you might make a point to ask for feedback, find different sites to pitch, or come up with 20 new headlines.
When a post takes off, you might make a point to read all the comments, identify what connected with readers, and see if you can find ideas for a follow-up post.
Whatever you do, stay active, and end each plan with you writing your next post.
#3. Log Your Victories to Reinforce Your Self-Esteem
Most of us have an instinct to devalue our talent. When a post does well, we think we got lucky. When someone compliments our work, we shrug it off.
But those are terrible habits.
You need to take responsibility for your victories.
When a post does well, you did that. When you get a compliment, you earned that.
And you should never forget it.
So log your victories in a “nice things” file. Log accomplishments big and small. Log every compliment you receive. Print them out or store them in Evernote.
Then read them on a regular basis. It will banish your Imp and reinforce your belief that you have talent. It will reinforce your belief that people value your work. Plus, it just feels good.
It’s okay to bask in your own glory from time to time.
#4. Remember That Nobody Expects You to Be Perfect (Except You)
As writers, we put ourselves out there as experts, which can feel intimidating.
You feel pressured to put forth a veneer of perfection. You don’t want to show the cracks in your knowledge, as that would show everyone you’re not an expert at all.
Because you don’t feel like one. You’re certainly not as much of an expert as those other guys, right? Because they know more than you?
So what if someone asks a question you don’t have the answer to? What if your post doesn’t include everything an expert would know? What if everyone realizes you don’t know everything?
Well, relax. Because readers aren’t looking for the holes and imperfections in your posts. They’re more interested in what you do know than what you don’t. The only one who’s worried about the latter is you.
Readers only care whether your knowledge and experience can help them reach their goals. You may not know as much as that other expert, but if you can do that, you’re expert enough for them.
Remember that.
You Are Not a Fraud, You Are a Writer
Your successes aren’t flukes.
You deserve all the praise you get.
And you are a writer — a real one.
So it’s time you finally convince yourself.
It’s time you fight back, wrestle your Imp to the ground and say, “Enough! I am smart, I am brave, and I earned everything I’ve worked for. I AM NOT A FRAUD!”
I’m right by your side, my fellow writer friend. Let’s do this together.
Let’s tear down the walls of isolation and surround ourselves with writers. Let’s stop feeling intimidated by success. Let’s stop expecting nothing but perfection from ourselves.
Let’s promise to keep writing no matter what, and let’s take responsibility for all the victories along the way.
Are you with me?
Hi Mel,
I had to accept that I wrote how I wrote before I largely conquered the Imp 😉 Excellent post here.
For me, it meant being at peace with making traditional authors cringe sometimes with my style. Which is totally OK in my eBook. Because I am a self-published author who has written and self-published 126 bite-sized eBooks. That is my niche. That is my place in the world. This writer writes how he writes and I am cool with that because I have been featured on some high level blogs and news outlets; gotta be doing something right 🙂
Many writers feel uncomfortable with the term “writer” because they believe you need to publish a book before you can call yourself a writer. Or that you need to cling to that ridiculous limiting beliefs of being a starving artist author, or that stupid belief that many authors cling to that you need to be a horrible critic of your own work. Tortured author syndrome.
I love my work. Not too attached to it, but it is simple, fun, light and it is me. Which is good enough for me.
Ryan
Wow. Ryan Biddulph was the first to leave a comment, which included the word ‘excellent’. My Imp just disappeared in a puff of smoke. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts, Ryan. I love your work too.
Cheers, Mel
“Imp” has been following me around for ‘wayyy too many years. Time to give him the boot for good. It is, however, comforting to know that it’s not just me, and even the “greats” have their moments of self-doubt. Thanks for the tips on how to step up and recognize our skill, Mel!
And bonus points for having Ryan Biddulph leave the first comment – that’s awesome!
I’d like to take Mel’s advice and connect with other writers so I visited your site and signed up for your emails! It’ll be fun to make friends with fellow pencil holders.
Agree,
I met few writers around NYC few days back and had long discussion on the topic. The conclusion was obvious and align with this topic. Why to feel guilty when you are giving your best and your work is being praised by other party.
Chill
Hi Mel,
I love it when I open a new Smart Blogger article and see a name I recognize as the author. 🙂
Congrats, Mel! The great voice and writing technique I loved with the guest post you wrote for me last year is on full display in this article. Excellent work.
Enjoy the flood of comments you’ll likely receive, Mel. Hope your day is an awesome one.
– Kevin
Thanks, Kevin. You’ve been one of my inspirations and Imp-slayers. I hope you have an awesome day too. Talk soon.
Cheers, Mel
And here I thought I was the only one. Good to know that I have company.
I think we’re in the majority, Jean.
Nice post on an important topic, Mel. Congrats and best of luck to you with your blog launch!
Thanks, Leanne.
I guess REAL WRITERS are the ones who suffer through all the many barriers to being a writer. Perhaps we should be THANKFUL that these ghosts and imps and all the many hurdles exist — because they take down the UNREAL WRITERS. Maybe writing is easy, compared to being a WARRIOR. Let us remember that we’re warriors. (Oops… little thought said, “Is that over the top, PJ?”) Warrior says, NO!
I think you’re right, PJ. as long as it’s not completely debilitating, having a touch of Imposter Syndrome can keep us real. ‘Unreal’ writers may simply be too cocky and incompetent to know they’re incompetent.
Cheers, Mel
Mel,
This is a great post. I love tip #3 – I need to constantly remind myself of my small wins and logging them is such a great idea.
Keep logging. It’s a great tonic.
I feed mine rat poison. Works like a charm. I’ve also been known to knock them off of cliffs and throw them under trains and buses. Maybe I should be writing thrillers instead of copy.
Or perhaps murder mysteries!
This is a great post! What you’re saying applies to so much more than just writing, though. It could apply to many other things in life. Many entrepreneurs in fact work in isolation, have some successes and many failures, and could be wondering “Was that just a fluke? Or are my best days behind me?” What you’ve made me realize that writing is an entrepreneurial activity like any other, and that is a breakthrough — to me at least :).
That’s a really great insight, Si. And you’re right, Imposter Syndrome isn’t exclusive to writers – it can happen in any industry or on a personal level. That’s why breaking down the isolation is one of the most important things we can do. Thanks for you comment.
Cheers, Mel
Hi Mel,
This is indeed a very informative article. Honestly, I never knew that a lot of people equally suffer from imposter syndrome, I thought I’m alone.
I’ve been in a situation severally where I finished writing a blog post and became hesitant to hit the publish button because I was assuming I wasn’t good enough. However, one thing that often gives me joy is seen that people actually like my writing.
Nothing can be so relieving when someone tells you how your tips helped him/her to overcome certain challenge. So, whenever I start having that Imp problem, I just reflect back to the praises I’ve been getting, and I’ll get going.
Wallpaper your work space with those praises, Theodore. And keep writing!
Cheers, Mel
Didja read my mind? Seriously! I’ve got a loving, supportive family who “like” my storytelling. It just always surprises me when someone else does!
I like the name Imp! Hmmm… could also stand for “Imperfect” which drives that fear factor.
Keep telling your stories, Julia. The odd imperfection makes you human, not a fraud.
Cheers, Mel
Hey Mel, Love this article! I already took your advice and signed up on one of your commenter’s sites, as you can see from my reply on his comment. I can relate with every point you make and will be taking the rest of your advice as well! Tanks so much!
Great to see some awesome tips. I’m fairly new and want to learn from those with expertise. Thanks for helping with those great tips.
You’re welcome, Victor.
Best article on keeping your head up that I’ve read in a while. Great job, Mel! I especially like the idea of having something to do in case of a rejected pitch or a bad outcome, I could see myself having a whole flowchart for these, ha!
Yep, we’ve got to keep ourselves busy, or that wretched Imp will come creeping back! Thanks for your comment, Chris.
Cheers, Mel
Mel,
This is especially true when you pitch an idea, and then you’re asked about your rates. You *Want* to say $150 minimum, and you know the price is justified. But that nagging voice keeps reminding you that “you are not worth that kind of money. You’re not experienced. The client will just laugh to death.”
It took me a long time to get over that mentality. Then, as soon as I landed my first $150, 400-word client, I was reborn.
Thanks for the very informational piece, Mel
Elvis
You’re so right, Elvis. Knowing how to value your worth is an art in itself for most writers. Here’s the way I look at it: Your value isn’t in your hourly or per piece rate. It’s in your experience and ability to achieve an outcome for the client that he doesn’t have the skills or time to achieve himself. And you have to be brave enough to walk away if the client doesn’t recognise the value in that concept. Keep writing!
Cheers, Mel
One more tip for keeping the bad moments in perspective: “Never compare your blooper reel with another writer’s highlights.”
Oh so true! Thanks for that, Ken
Love that! Thanks, Ken!
Hello Ms. Mel,
Thank you for this very inspiring article. Glad to know that I am not alone after all. I can relate with all the pointers raised. There times when I doubted my ability to express my ideas.
Thank you for the push. Will remain your fan, Ms. Mel.
Oops! I mean, there were times when I doubted..not as otherwise as posted earlier. Am sorry.
..as otherwise posted. Was too eager to hit the send button.
You’ve got to watch those pesky send buttons! Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Mel
This is such an amazing and helpful article Mel. And with writing skills like that, I can’t believe you’re doubting yourself 🙂 You absolutely nailed it. But like you said, doubting ourselves is just human nature. Once we know that, we can take action and fight back.
I saved this post in my Evernote file called “awesome posts” which I go back to regularly when I need inspiration. Thank you for all your advice.
Cheers, Seraina
Your comment is going straight to my ‘Nice Things’ file. Thanks, Seraina.
I think we should always listen to yourself and do what we feel the best…if we think of outside world we will never take our own decision….I think the voice within ourselves should be very positive to lead a peaceful life…be unique and do not compare yourself with others..Any syndrome can be cured with positive attitude…very beautiful post for erasing all the negative thoughts from our mind…!!
Arvind
Stay positive, Arvind
Wow, Mel! Wonderfully put 🙂 I do get that feeling of being a ‘fraud’ so many times, and it’s good to know that there are so many others who feel the same! This article made my day, thanks 🙂
Loved the part on making a note of all the successes – no matter how small.
Talk about a shot in the arm! This is as close to a perfect post (with perfect timing) as I think it can get. You speak to us out here with a frankness AND offer hope…a grand combination. Thank you!
Thanks for your kind words, Regina and Anirudh. That’s just the sort of praise I need to banish my Imp. But, better still, I’m glad I could help fellow writers
Cheers Mel
I think many of us feel like imposters because writing may come so naturally, it may actually feel like a crime that we get paid what we do for it. There have been times I felt like I slapped together an article for a client and they were blown away. All the while, I’m sitting over here like “Seriously? You want to pay me HOW MUCH for this article?! I feel like I bullsh*tted the whole thing!”
But on the flip side, that’s what makes good (let me stress the word “good”) writers such a rare commodity. What feels like nothingness to us could be the catapult someone else needs to, say, boost their online business traffic or build their brand. Frankly, I think if more writers looked at the imposter syndrome in this light, they won’t feel so pessimistic about their craft and more importantly, their earnings.
Great topic, Mel!
That’s so true, Monica. We have a tendency to devalue what comes easily to us, but the outcome of our work can be of significant value to our clients. So we should never be embarrassed to charge a fair fee for our professional services. I’ve never seen a lawyer apologize for his fee, so why should I?
Thanks for your thoughts.
Cheers, Mel
If a writer earnestly strives to be a good writer, never gives up along the way, writes consistently with the intent on serving something meaningful to their target audience and has a good heart, she or he shouldn’t feel like a fraud. If they’re cutting corners such as buying paid links, stealing other people’s content and repurposing it as theirs, and not giving proper author attribution, then they are truly frauds.
Hi Mel,
It’s an extraordinary post that I read just now. I’m astonished to see your super writing skills.
Hope to see your content soon again.
Regards,
SM
Thanks SM and DNN
Anytime. You’re welcome. 🙂
You’re most welcome, Mel
Wow, the imp got me big time!
I recently started my blog but I have been off and on.
Mostly due to the fact that I believe my content is not good enough, I have to research more.
Its so scary, cos I have never been satisfied by any article I have written.
For me perhaps the isolation thing is the biggest problem. I’d need to find other writers.
Thanks for this Mel.
Definitely, Denis. Find other writers and keep writing.
Cheers, Mel
Don’t you hate predictive text? I did actually write your name as Deji, but my iPad thinks you should be called Denis! My apologies.
Did you move into my head? Yes, I often feel like a fraud writing about things I am not an expert at. Your article was super helpful in letting me see that I am not a fraud and my ability to research and write to help others is valuable.
Marsha,
Look at it like this. At least you’re getting your feet wet with blogging and learning along the way about digital content marketing. If you’re not an expert as you say you feel at something you are writing about, all you need to do is to write a quick 100 to 250 word summary about what you read and create a link to the blog post, webpage, or news article that opens in a new browser window for people to read. This way, you’re not over-extending yourself in trying to sound like you’re an expert at something you’re not. And don’t look at it like you’re a fraud because you’re not. At least you took the 1st initial action step and got started with your blogging adventures. That’s something to feel good about, Marsha! 🙂
Thank you for this boost! Much appreciated.
Wow , there is a lot of Talent here ! Lots . I am reminded of getting some serious attention of my work by an old saying .
“People do not care how much you know Until they know how much you care”
Think about it , I think this truly applies and spills over into the editor’s impressions of us , especially with Content *as DNN & Deji have correctly Opined.
Thanks for being here everyone , David
I agree, David. If you can let your passion shine through your work, it’s a good start.
Cheers, Mel
Hi Mel,
Wow, what a fantastic blog post! Thank you for re-asssuring me that I am indeed good enough to call myself a “writer”!
I was at Ray Edwards’s Copywriting Academy Live in Franklin TN in June, and one of the biggest takeaway for me is the need to connect with others in my niche. I am therefore currently working on 3 Mastermind groups – One that I pay to be part of, one with my peers, and one for my students who pay me to join!
Thanks again for sharing and good luck with the Craft of Copywriting!
Best Regards
Pedro
Thanks, Pedro. Great job at connecting with other writers. I’m sure it helps.
Cheers, Mel
Thanks, Mel. I am relieved to see that so many other writers suffer from The Imposter Syndrome and I love your great pep talk! I appreciate it and I’m sure I will read it again, as needed.
Thanks, Cindy. I’m glad you found it useful
Thank you Mel. I needed that.
There have been times when I haven’t written anything for weeks because I thought I lost my touches. I would re-read my writing and wonder how I ever wrote such a good post. Then I’d remember how I “struggled” to write that same post.
You’ve empowered me to just keep writing. The root cause of my “struggles” to write as I reflect on this post is probably because I read something while researching and thought to myself that someone else said it better than I could ever say it. Maybe there’s more to it.
You’re spot on, Jay. That’s a classic sign of Imposter Syndrome – believing that other writers have ‘said it better than I could ever say it’. You have to believe in your own unique voice and stick to your original game plan. It’s the only way to banish your Imp when those feelings take over. Keep writing!
Cheers, Mel
Hey Mel,
When I started writing, it was one of the happiest times but sooner or later we all have an imposter syndrome.
The biggest reason is that we don’t explore ourselves. We just remain alone in the isolation and as a result, odd thoughts start building.
It’s important to have a glass of wine or tea with other writers. Sharing always helps in exploring your real writer.
Getting ideas from the world is something I also crave.
Whether you’re talking about your writing career or the life, ups and downs are the parts which can’t be controlled.
I have failed many times but I always had my goal in my mind and that’s the reason I am happy today.
Glad to read such an informative guide.
Enjoy your day.
~Ravi
Thanks, Ravi. I hope you enjoy your day too.
Cheers, Mel
That sounded like me when I first started out in blogging about roughly 12 years ago. I used to have a category on an old site for oil and gas news, whereas I knew nothing about the oil and gas industry but I had an oil and gas affiliated advertiser who was paying handsome affiliate commissions. So I tried to garner together some interesting content and sometimes summarized it about oil and gas exploration news that I knew nothing about.
I didn’t want to admit to anyone but I myself knew the topic that I was writing on pertaining to oil and gas I knew nothing about and sometimes quietly felt like a fool when I wrote content. The good news is being that the Internet is all about content, it gives writers a chance to publish things they know nothing about and potentially earn money from ads on their blogs or websites. Another great thing about the Internet is that being that it’s content driven, it allows us to dibble and dabble with different styles of writing to see what works and what doesn’t. This is the beauty of content marketing. Don’t you agree? 🙂
Talvez eu não consiga expressar em inglês a satisfação em ler esse texto. Não vou tentar. Mas vou agradecer. Obrigado pelas palavras, nós sabemos o quão poderosas elas podem ser.
I may not be able to express in English the satisfaction in reading this text. I will not try. But I’ll thank you. Thanks for the words, we know how powerful they can be.
Creo que tus palabras son perfectas
Gracias, Mel
Nice post and really impressive. Am a newbie bloggers and learned something from your post. Keep going
Thanks, Sasi . Keep writing.
Cheers, Mel
I’m a fraud and everyone is about to find out. I feel that every time I am about to share something. The first step to feeling better about anything is to realize that famous people suffer the same thing. Thanks Mel for discussing this phenomenon and giving us tips on how to overcome impostor syndrome.
Knowing you’re not alone is a really good starting point. And the more you keep sharing, the less power you give to that feeling of being an imposter.
Cheers, Mel
Honesty is the best policy, Noelle. Not every blogger or content marketer knows what she or he is talking about. At least you strive for excellence by trying to keep your site content regularly updated, which is surely a good thing. 🙂
I always imagine myself a Freud when I’m writing another paper for my degree hehe. Sometimes it even helps to concentrate and gives you more motivation. I think, that when you can’t change something that bothers you, try to change your attitude to it!
Good luck with that degree, Zessay
Cheers, Mel
Hi Mel,
what for a fantastic article which gives hope and get you blogging on. All the best for your launch. Personally, I feel to get in touch with other bloggers and writer is hugely important to get also other ideas.
All the best.
Thanks, Stefani
I think its almost impossible to always come up with new idea for each article we write. When we find an interesting subject to write we just need to add our own thought into the mix
That’s right, David. It’s really important to find your own voice, and approach the same idea from a different angle. Thanks for your comment
Cheers, Mel
David,
I find myself on most occasions adding my personal thoughts into the mix of things. As you said, when we find an interesting subject to write an article or blog about, it’s those sensitive moments we find ourselves improving our own search engine optimization using our mind to catapult to the top of search engines like Bing, Google, and YaHoO. Good thing that content is not only king online, but also a way to stay gainfully employed working for yourself.
This was brilliant. Really really enjoyed. Thank you. Shared.
Thanks for the share, Laura.
Cheers, Mel
“Let’s promise to keep writing no matter what, and let’s take responsibility for all the victories along the way. Are you with me?”
Yes Mel, with you all the way 🙂
Price,
Writing is a form of online job security and good income from promoting affiliate programs on blogs and websites. You doggone right let’s keep writing. This is how people are able to live financially off of the internet and this is also how Bing, Google, and YaHoO! all make their PPC ad sales money. So as long as you support others in your writing and build good relationships, goodness and good money will always be in your corner. Clap your hands to that and SMILE! 🙂
I ma not writer but a blogger.
This Imp you talked about do come haunt me as well.
But you know what?
I don’t give it any chance to have the better part of me.
Yeah,there are times that its tentacles curled around me and gripped my heart with fear.
You post has been an elixir for me.
Thumb up Mel.
Thumbs up to you too, Kayode! Keep writing.
Cheers, Mel
Kayode,
It should inspire you to be a better writer, think positive, do the transformation business work, and keep your head held high. And most importantly, market smarter by writing evergreen content and making your content shareable on multiple social networks. Agree?
Thanks, Mel. This is one of the best articles to learn about content writing for me.
Raj,
Always bear in mind that whatever topic you choose to write about, just be persistent and write @ least 1 post a day @ a minimum of 1,000 words or more. This is known as “Evergreen content writing.” Evergreen writing, or known better as “Evergreen content marketing,” is when you produce less published pages, but produce “published Evergeen content pages” 1k words or more. By doing so, you get better rankings in Bing, Google, and YaHoO! search engine results pages, giving you a significant advantage over your blogging competitors in your niche. Hope this helps. 🙂
This is such an inspiral article for me. Thanks.
Thanks, Price, Raj and Bijay. It’s a real pleasure to help fellow writers.
Cheers, Mel
This is really worth sharing and inspiration article. You, by the way, did mention about joining writers’ group on Facebook. Would you mind list me some elite FB groups for the writer.
Thanks.
Hi James. Thanks for your comment. As far as Facebook goes, I suggest you do some exploring. It depends entirely on what sort of writing you are interested in (copywriting, blogging, fiction, etc etc), and then what type of group you think you can contribute the most to, and gain the most support and feedback from. I suggest you have a look around, join a couple that sound like a good fit and go from there. When you find the right group, you will receive the most benefit by giving. Good luck.
Cheers, Mel
Inspiring article. I always feel about writers because very few or almost no one inspire them. So there is a need of self-motivation to the writers.
Hi Mel, great post. I’m going to follow all the steps you shared. I’m not exactly a new blogger, but up to now have lacked direction in how to manage my blog. I’ve been looking for ways to overcome the isolation that is an issue for all creative people. I love the Nice Things folder. Your tips have given me a new look at my blog and myself. I feel guided to share with you my last blog post, which is about how to eliminate the limiting beliefs that hold us back, including those fraud-like feelings. Instantly. I’m not sure if I’m violating blog etiquette by sharing this, so I’m not putting the link into this reply. But if you feel comfortable with it, you may include the link if you decide to approve this post. If you try the process, you will no longer feel like a fraud, but that won’t make you lazy. It will bring you peace instead, and you will enjoy writing even more. Thanks again for the concrete and doable advice.
Thanks for your comments, Nancy. I had a look at your post and I can see the parallels with Imposter Syndrome. I hope other readers will check it out too. Good luck with your blogging.
Cheers Mel
Wow I sure am glad I came across this post I had to share it. I think we all struggle with this at one time or another when writing. Some days ou just think “Why am I doing this? No one wants to hear what I have to say!” Then you get a comment from someone saying it was a great write up and that changes. Not giving up is the harder part of writing!
You’re not wrong there, Patrick. Thanks for the share, and keep writing!
Cheers, Mel
Thanks for your post Mel. I think you nailed it, at least if you were trying to transcribe my exact thoughts.
Thanks, Eliza. I hope I helped.
Cheers, Mel
Outstanding work Mel, couldn’t agree more. Allow me to add the thought that we were all beginners at something, at some point in time. And the only thing separating successful writers from the ones not quite as successful yet is time…
Good point, Deon. Thanks for that
This is very inspiring. Me too, I’ve been experiencing this syndrome for many years. Even though how many times I remind myself to believe in my capabilities and all, doubt is still there.
Your tips are very helpful. I should surround myself more of people who not only writes but also who share the same passion as mine. Knowing that I am not alone helps a lot. Thanks for this post Mel.
You’re welcome, Jon
Thank you Mel for this. I have just started my blogging/writing journey and in a world full of great writers, I am questioning myself, “Can I really do this?”
Yes, you can!