The biggest roadblock for writers trying to perfect their voice isn’t using the correct grammar, proper spelling, or consistent syntax.
It’s fear.
One of my college professors once called me out for being too tentative in a story. I was writing a review of the movie “High Noon” and after a decent lead, I just lost my voice. He asked me point blank, “What are you afraid of?”
It was a pretty heavy question for a 20-year-old who thought he was invincible and couldn’t imagine any other career than being a writer. However, the more I thought about it, and the more I worked on developing my craft, the less potent the fear of losing my voice in print was.
I reached out to that professor, along with one of my literary Twitter followers, and came up with three tips writers can use to master their writing anxiety.
Don’t Compare Notes
Comparing your work to other writers can cripple your ability to overcome the fear your own words.
You aren’t going to accomplish much if you’re concentrating on what others have done and what you haven’t. You’re only going to lose your voice even more, and be that much more scared of never finding it again.
“Your own voice isn’t supposed to sound like anyone else’s,” says Morgan Pehme, my former college professor and current executive director of New York Civic, a nonprofit, nonpartisan good government group that aims to advance political reform in the city and state of New York. “If you are discomfited by your voice sounding different than others, and thus unprofessional or inferior, take heart in the fact that your voice is supposed to be different.”
“No two authors will ever write the same story, even if they begin with the same concept,” says Julie Anne Lindsey, a young adult fiction writer and blogger. “Your voice should be embraced because its what makes you you.”
Take a Step Back
This is the easiest and hardest thing to do for a writer. But there are times you just need to get the hell away from your work. Your writing voice, just like anything else on your person, gets fatigued. The more tired it is, the more you start to fear it.
When one word or phrase looks out of place, you start moving pieces around, and the next thing you know everything looks scrambled. Not to mention, you’ve now taken cover under a blanket with a baseball bat.
“A respite allows us to view our work with greater objectivity,” says Pehme. “It’s an experience that either clarifies its flaws, but, more often that not, impresses us that the piece was much better than we initially thought.”
Whenever you decide to return to the page—it could be two hours or two months—your voice should be refreshed and ready. And instead of wearing a Halloween mask, it’ll be wearing the smile of an old, trusted friend.
Confidence is Key
Confidence in your writing is everything. Errors can be corrected, tone can be honed, but there is no easy fix for sustained fear.
“Know that all writers lack confidence in their work,” says Pehme. He notes that a tour of the Rare Book collection of the British Museum will show how even classic writers like Shakespeare, Joyce, and Austen constantly crossed out and revised their work. “Just because you are insecure doesn’t mean your insecurity is founded. Writing requires a leap of faith. Don’t be afraid to jump!” he says.
“Fearing your voice as a writer is like an artist fearing their medium, a painter avoiding his paint, a pianist afraid to play,” says Lindsey. “Don’t fear your gift. Treasure it. Your voice gives your story its passion, edge, and bite.”
The process of finding your voice can be a messy and frightening one, but if you are patient and hungry, you’ll be able to wield your words ferociously, rather than live in fear of them.
[image: jjpacres]
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I overcame my fears to write this comment: good job.
Glad I could help you come out of hiding. Thanks for the kind words.
I’ve also found ignorance helps as much as confidence. You can always fix grammar, you can’t fake voice. Thankfully, I was blessed with a god given skill for chimp grammar. This lets me get everything down on the page, do the best I can to fix it and then seek help for the little linguistic nuances that seem to stymie me at every turn.
Have you ever read Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down The Bones (see, I was probably supposed to put the book title in quotes, but I cant remember… chimp grammar, I say!). Think you’d love it!
I couldn’t agree more. Looking back at my writing growing up, it is a grammatical nightmare. But, the foundation for what became my voice is evident. Better to just get everything down and figure it out later.
And thanks for the book recommendation. I’ve recommended this book before, but it is worth repeating: go out and get William Zinsser’s “On Writing Well.” Life changing.
Great post, Dan. Writing definitely requires trust in your voice, abilities and ideas.
However, what I was most impressed by was your former professor’s use of “discomfitted.” Vocabulary wins.
Vocabulary always wins, Ricky. I think some people shy away from articles or books that contain a higher level vocabulary than what they are used to, which has led some writers to stop using words people have to look up. But I think people should be required to look up as many words as possible. It not only helps raise awareness and intelligence, but also the level of discourse. The more words you know and understand, the more you want to use them.
Great post (and advice). Also, thanks for the book tip, Michael! And you’re right–forget about the linguistic nuances. That’s why we have editors!
Thanks for the comment Melissa, and thanks for making sure I don’t read like an idiot on a daily basis. One of these days, I will remember half of the stuff that you have told me.
Great advice here, Dan! I taught English for a while when I first came out of college, and I remember how the students used to think it was some kind of magic trick how I could tell them who struggled with finding voice and who just jumped right in with confidence. It really can make a world of difference in your writing.
Looking forward to reading more of your posts!
Thanks Renee. Confidence is 90 percent of the battle for sure.
Love this post, although I must respectfully disagree with the assertion about reading others’ work and comparing your own to it. If you’re fair to them–and yourself–you will likely find ideas you can use, from structures to strategies. You will also realize that even the most accomplished writers have their own tics.
I also wanted to mention another resource: Poets and Writers magazine (now available on the Kindle!). Full of real-world inspiration, advice, and empathy for those of us who feel the irrational urge to be writers.
Dan,
I have low confidence, which is one of my problems, but I work for a newspaper where everyone tells me that I am doing a good job. How do you work on confidence? Are there any books that can help me bring out my personality into my writing?
First of all, if people are telling you that you’re doing a good job–especially newspaper people–odds are you actually ARE doing a good job.
I don’t know of any books off the top of my head, but maybe a book of inspiring quotes from famous writers would be helpful. Something you can read every morning to get yourself in the right mindset.
And just keep writing. The more you write, the more you’ll use that fear.
Excellent — and thank you.
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