How to Gain Confidence as a Writer (And Handle Harsh Feedback)

Writing is an art, and just like any other art, if you don’t trust yourself, your creative process, or that which you are creating, then you’re going to have a horrible time with something you’re passionate about. Through my journey of getting my MFA in Creative Writing, I not only felt this, but saw this in my peers; gaining confidence in yourself as a writer is key for your growth.

When I was getting my Bachelor’s in English: Creative Writing, there were many cases where I saw people either get offended at feedback or mortified to hear what people thought of their writing. I saw a writer skip class because it was their turn to receive feedback on their work, and I also overheard writers talking among each other about the professor being too rough or critical when giving feedback.

As a person who was told that their character was two-dimensional, that their story lacked depth, or was generic, or that some scenes had no purpose, among many other things, I could see the truth in their statement. Some people can give good feedback that can sound harsh, while other people will just be rude and unproductive. But regardless of what you hear, remember that you can’t control what people say, but you can control how you feel.

While You Are Your Writing, Separate Yourself From Your Craft

It might be rough hearing that the piece you worked on may not be as good as you thought, but it’s necessary to hear that feedback to grow. I’ve realized that many people take feedback as insults, but there’s an easy way to distinguish that, which is done by listening to the language used.

For example, there’s a difference between saying that someone’s character is two-dimensional, generic, or without purpose, and saying that the character is trash or to attack a person’s reason for adding them. To further avoid the insult confusion, I’d always be as detailed as possible and give a suggestion.

If you think someone’s character is two-dimensional, meaning too bland or generic, offer them a piece of advice or suggestion.

I remember a critique I once did regarding someone’s romance short story upset the writer’s friend. I told them that their use of Spanish was dull, as all they did was said “mi amor,” and that they should expand on it, to which their friend defended them, not knowing we were from the same place.

While it’s true that a part of you is stained in each letter you type, it doesn’t mean that every piece of feedback is an attack on you.

Get Out There!

It’s true that the worst thing they could say is no, but when it comes to submitting your work to literary magazines, or simply posting your work online, people can say worse things, or the no can make you feel insufficient.

For the first point, I’ve posted my articles online—just like the one you’re reading now, and I’ve also posted my work on DeviantArt back when I was a young kid, barely a teenager. And while my articles haven’t gotten venom, I still remember a comment I received on one of my DeviantArt posts. When it comes to online comments, just be ready to hear the worst.

For the second point, the only way to get better is by putting yourself out there, reading, writing, and revising. There are tons of platforms anyone can use, and here are just a few:

Royalroad is the spot if you want to upload fantasy stories. I’m talking about Epic Fantasies and even LitRPG, and they even hold something they call a Writathon, which just recently ended. Something that surprised me from this platform is how long every story is, and I’m talking about there are many stories that a more than a thousands pages long, and many are serialized.

So, if you want to be part of a community that loves worldbuilding, and they’ll surely let you know, give this place a try.

If you every wanted to create a website, but didn’t want to go through the hassle, or stuff locked behind a premium, they this could be a good spot. It’s a great place to start a blog, as it also facilitates attaining followers, finding other like minded writers, and its also facilitates creating a community. There are a few reasons why I moved away from it, although not completely, but it’s mostly because I just wanted my own website.

Anyone who writes, especially romance, has at least heard of Wattpad. I’d highly recommend anyone who loves any type of romance, and I truly mean any type of romance, to get in this platform. I honestly consider this a hub for online romance writers.

And I know there’s a ton out there, too. Explore and see what else is out in the world.

The key to gaining confidence as a writer is to accept that not everyone will accept your work, and that you aren’t perfect, but trying your best to perfect your craft is the only and best way to grow in any art, and that includes in writing.