Writing with Confidence
Overcome Anxiety & Build Habits
- Writing
- April 21, 2025
- No Comments
Let me ask you a few questions: Do you find yourself staring at a blank screen, unsure of where to begin? Does your mind go blank (pun intended) when it comes to writing those first words of your story? Are you puzzled about why starting is so difficult, even when you know everything about the story?
Writers and authors around the world often experience feelings of inadequacy and overwhelm, regardless of their experience level. These emotions are often associated with varying types of creative blocks, so it’s important to recognize the differences among the most common ones.
Today, we will explore how fear creates diverse types of creative blocks, the underlying causes of fear, and how new writers and authors can shift their mindset to move forward with their manuscripts. Whether you are just starting out or already have a large readership, understanding your emotions and learning how to transform them can provide more internal strength than you might initially realize.
Creative Blocks
Writing challenges can be frustrating and may manifest in diverse ways. However, there are specific creative hurdles we should distinguish before moving forward. Each struggle is unique, yet all interconnect. These obstacles include (1) blank page syndrome, (2) first page fear, and (3) writer’s block.
Blank Page Syndrome
We have completed our notes, scenes, dialogue snippets, settings, characters, and background research. Now, we are excited to begin the drafting phase. However, as soon as we open a new document, our minds seem to lock up, leading to a sense of internal panic that results in us not acting. But what causes this? This paralysis is known as blank page syndrome, which is the feeling of being daunted by the task of putting words on the page. This sensation arises from cognitive overload, where your mind feels overwhelmed by the pressure to start writing.
Blank page syndrome can arise for several reasons. You might have many ideas for your novel, leaving you unsure of where to start. External distractions could also be a factor, or you may begin to doubt whether the time and effort needed to write are worth it.
This self-doubt can quickly stall creativity. The best way to overcome this is to complete smaller but related projects to help kickstart the drafting process. For example, if you do not have an outline or timeline, both of which are important for writers, then creating one may help you see where you can start.
You must realize that blank page syndrome is not a single event for writers. It could happen while changing scenes, and even if you haven’t written in a while. It is a natural part of writing, and while frustrating, it could be a blessing in disguise, signaling that you care deeply about the story you want to tell.
Fear of Starting
The fear of starting (or first page fear) is more focused than the anxiety of facing a blank page. This fear arises when self-doubt, a desire for perfection, judgment, and the pressure to “get it right” from the outset lead to a sort of paralysis for the writer. Although it may seem unusual, this is a common challenge that many writers meet more often than one might expect. First page fear can occur at any moment, whether while crafting the opening scene of a book or transitioning to a new scene within a chapter.
For example, it took me over twelve years to decide how I should draft the books and thus build the world I see in my mind. Due to the complexity of my story, deciding which specific scene to start the entire process was among the hardest decisions I had to make. Each character is just as important as the next, but to tell my story correctly, I need to build on each protagonist I introduce at the correct time.
To clarify the story’s starting point, I spent an added week reorganizing specific material to find each protagonist’s natural beginning. In addressing this, I posed three key questions to myself:
- What does my comprehensive timeline say about when the stories should start?
- How many protagonists should each book have?
- How can I realistically weave each protagonist’s role into the narrative?
Once I found answers to those questions, my overall direction became clearer. After that, I concentrated on which scene to select for their introduction, which presented similar difficulties.
Writer’s Block
I believed for a long time that writer’s block was a myth—a scare tactic passed around by those who didn’t understand storytelling or the power of the writer. But once I began writing seriously, I realized how real and paralyzing it can be. But what is it?
Experiencing writer’s block is a frequent obstacle for writers, occurring when they face a creative slowdown during their writing or feel unable to generate new material. Various psychological, motivational, and cognitive factors can contribute to the occurrence of writer’s block, including:
- A frustrating lack of ideas for where the story is going or should go.
- A negative self-belief stemming from external factors or something in the past.
- Lack of motivation or understanding about something.
- Physiological or neurological challenges.
- Your inner critic is taking over, making you doubt yourself and your story.
To help overcome writer’s block, there is a wide range of strategies a writer can employ, including remembering that it is a temporary phase, setting realistic writing goals, engaging in various creative activities, and even changing your environment. Of course, what works well for one individual might not work for another. The only way to know for sure is to try different tactics (such as brainstorming, freewriting, and mind mapping) to see what ideas they spark. Writer’s block is real, and a natural part of the writing process (even if it drives us crazy when it happens).
Blank page syndrome, first page fear, and writer’s block may appear to be similar, but they each signify different points of hesitation in the writing process. Blank page syndrome often appears due to cognitive overload before beginning the writing, while first page anxiety focuses on the need to start flawlessly. Conversely, writer’s block typically occurs during the writing process and can show deeper motivational or psychological obstacles. Although these challenges vary in their scope and timing, they all have one thing in common: they are all normal—and temporary—elements of a writer’s journey. Recognizing them is the first step toward overcoming them.
Understanding the Differences: Blank Page Syndrome, First Page Fear & Writer's Block
| Stages of Writing | Blank Page Syndrome | First Page Fear | Writer's Block |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Emotion | Very beginning | First lines of page | Any point in the process |
| Key Behavior | Overwhelm or indecision | Anxiety or pressure | Frustration, fear, or creative exhaustion |
| Cause | Can't pick a place to start | Constant revisions or avoidance of first lines | Stops writing entirely or struggles to move forward. |
| How It Feels | "I don't know where to begin." | High expectations for opening | "I can't write anything at all." |
| Best Remedy | Freewriting, writing prompts, mind mapping | Writing past the first page, revising later | Rest, journaling, talking it out, changing routine |
Understanding Fear
Fear is something everyone has, regardless of status, income, or gender. It is something we as human beings face daily in a multitude of ways, even if those fears are unlike those of others. But what is fear, and how can it affect how you draft your manuscript?
Why It Happens
Fear is a natural response to uncertainty—often showing up physically (racing heart, tension, unease) and emotionally (feeling overwhelmed or out of control). For writers, this fear is rarely medical. It’s usually about judgment, self-doubt, or perfectionism.
For those who aspire to be authors, this apprehension manifests distinctly, particularly when faced with the daunting task of starting a new project. The pressures we meet, both from within and outside ourselves, may include concerns that our ideas lack originality or that readers will be harsh in their critiques. Additionally, imposter syndrome may suggest that you aren’t a “real writer.” At times, uncertainty about your goals or the direction of your story can impede you before you even begin. Moreover, perfectionism—the urge to write perfectly on the first attempt—can function as a quiet hindrance.
The good news? With a few shifts in mindset and simple practices, you can retrain your brain to see the blank page not as a threat, but as a creative opportunity.
Shift Your Mindset
As authors, how we view and feel about ourselves, those around us, and our personal beliefs are a result of a range of factors including family, culture, education, and even technology. These influences can affect our self-confidence and how we react to fear. Shifting our mindset allows us to redefine these beliefs and engage in writing with clarity, confidence, and intention. Let’s delve into what that truly signifies.
Types of Mindset Shifts
A shift in mindset involves changing the way we think about or feel towards various aspects of life. This transformation enables us to gain a better understanding of ourselves, our surroundings, and our role within the world.
To achieve a mindset shift, we need to prepare, put in effort, and practice. While conventional wisdom often suggests focusing on one type of shift at a time, it may be beneficial for writers to combine multiple shifts simultaneously; this approach can lead to greater personal growth more quickly than tackling them one at a time. The type of mindset shifts a writer might consider include: (1) abundance vs. scarcity mindset, (2) fixed vs growth mindset, (3) open-minded mindset, and (4) problem-focused vs. solution-oriented mindset.
Scarcity vs Abundance Mindset
A scarcity mindset is the conviction that resources, chances, and achievement are restricted on all levels and for everything. For example, a writer who receives negative feedback from their audience may initially feel inadequate or see themselves as a failure, reinforcing the notion that they will never succeed.
However, a writer working with an abundance mindset believes that there is enough success available for everyone, which opens new possibilities. This mindset encourages them to view the feedback as a chance for growth and improvement. It fosters gratitude, collaboration, and a focus on opportunities rather than limitations.
Fixed vs Growth Mindset
A fixed mindset is the belief that abilities, intelligence, and personality traits are ingrained from birth and unchangeable. People with this mindset often think they are born with a certain level of skill and cannot improve upon it, even with effort. For instance, a writer with a fixed mindset might feel that there is no point in trying if they believe they will fail, that it’s too late to learn anything new, or that because someone else has told them they cannot succeed, they have little faith in their own potential.
Conversely, a growth mindset encourages the idea that skills and intelligence can be cultivated through hard work and persistence. Individuals with a growth mindset view challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles that limit them. For example, a new writer may read their finished first draft and recognize that it is not perfect yet, but they understand that with enough work and practice, they can create something much better.
Open-Minded Mindset
An open-minded mindset fosters openness to innovative ideas, viewpoints, and experiences. By recognizing that other people’s beliefs and opinions hold value, you become more willing to entertain different perspectives in your life. For instance, a new writer may enjoy reading their favorite genre during their leisure time, yet they are still open to exploring unfamiliar genres to discover any differences or similarities that may exist between their usual reading choices and what others find appealing.
Problem-Focused vs Solution-Oriented Mindset
A problem-focused mindset is one that fixates on the issues a writer faces and examines how these problems arise. For instance, a new writer might struggle to understand why their story has deviated so significantly from their original vision. As they investigate the issue, they often discover that the problem is more complex than they initially thought, typically leading them to blame external factors for their difficulties.
Alternatively, a solution-oriented mindset encourages creative thinking and an initiative-taking approach to overcoming challenges. Instead of viewing obstacles as insurmountable barriers, the same writer can focus on finding solutions based on their existing knowledge. This approach allows them to learn from the experience, helping them recognize and potentially avoid similar issues in the future.
But how do you do that? First, you must embrace your fear.
Embracing Your Fear
Embracing the uncertainty surrounding your writing journey, rather than fleeing from it, can serve as a dynamic stimulus for personal transformation and the achievement of your goals. By acknowledging and confronting this fear, you get the ability to coexist with it, channeling that energy into a powerful source of motivation.
Take, for instance, the all-too-common fear of failure or the sting of criticism, which can loom large and paralyze writers before they even set pen to paper. Yet, by daring to write through the discomfort, you embark on a journey that fosters self-assurance and fortitude over time.
The benefits of embracing this fear are profound and multifaceted:
- Heightened Confidence: Each act of facing your fear boosts your self-belief, helping you to realize that you are capable of greater things than you once thought possible.
- Rich Learning & Growth: Confronting your fears opens doors to experiences and lessons that you might never encounter if you choose to stay in your comfort zone.
- Enhanced Resilience: As you learn to navigate the waters of fear, you build a robust mental framework that prepares you to tackle future challenges with greater ease and determination.
- Easier Navigation Past Obstacles: When you become familiar with your fears, they lose their grip on you, making it simpler to push through hurdles that once seemed insurmountable.
- Unlocking Your Full Potential: By leaning into your fears, you unleash a fountain of creativity and possibility, empowering you to explore the depths of your capabilities and transform your dreams into reality.
Embracing your fear is not just an act of courage; it is a significant step toward unlocking the fullest version of yourself. Now that you have accepted that fear, it’s important to find ways to shift your mindset and move forward.
Ways to Shift Mindset
There isn’t a single best way to shift your writing mindset; typically, it requires a combination of approaches. To ease this transition, follow these steps: recognize what needs to change, reflect on your motivations, research your options, practice your chosen strategies, and adjust your strategy (as necessary).
- Start by recognizing that adopting this shift will alter everything: your focus, future goals, expectations, responses to situations, and even your overall identity.
- Understand what is motivating you to make this change. Take time to write down your thoughts and concerns for clarity. Examine the advantages and disadvantages of this shift and assess your feelings about it. Once you have clarity, make decisions about your desired changes and document them somewhere safe.
- Explore different strategies that you can implement and select two or three to start with. Keep a record of this information for easy reference.
- Start using each strategy daily. The more often you rehearse, the more instinctive it will feel. Eventually, you will discover how to implement these strategies in different contexts and see how your reactions have changed from what they used to be.
- If needed, remove a strategy that isn’t working or add a new one. This is an experimental process to discover what works best for you, regardless of what others may say or believe.
A fantastic tip for new writers is to focus on the writing process rather than the end goal. A writer can set a target to draft a specific number of words each day for the next 90 days. During this time, the writer should not worry about finishing the novel all at once; instead, they should concentrate on writing consistently during the designated time each day. As they become more comfortable with the routine, the writer can gradually increase their daily word count for the following 90 days. Over time, they will notice that they are making progress toward their goal, step by step.
Every writer starts with doubt. What matters is how you work through it.
Conclusion
New writers and authors can find themselves facing fear while drafting their novels. Although each fear is unique, how to address that challenge will vary based on individual and specific circumstances. One might face the blank page dilemma, while another has difficulty starting the novel itself, while yet another may find themselves at a loss for where to move their story. Writers who actively identify why they have the fear and work toward modifying or changing their mindset can find themselves with more confidence, less fear, and positive changes as they navigate their writing journey.
