How I overcame the discomfort of writing and how you can too
I have loved reading and writing since learning English and writing my journals since 2021.
But in February 2023, I began writing online on the Substack platform, and the first article was about the history of written words.
Because Substack is a newsletter + blog platform, so you don’t get much traffic from the platform.
All the marketing responsibility was on my shoulders. I shared the articles' links in WhatsApp groups and Quora by answering questions.
After all that, I had only three dead subscribers and 0 reads.
- My writing was slow
- I was struggling in front of blank page
- I didn’t know the game of online writing
- I was unaware of how to make articles catchy
Seeing that none of the articles even got a single read was highly discouraging, so I quit Substack.
I tried Medium
I already knew and posted my Substack articles on Medium.
I didn’t realize the power of the Medium until June 2023 and the audience that resides in it.
I started writing on Medium in June but still couldn’t write and suffered from writer’s block, resulting in quitting.
But things changed when I challenged myself in December 2023 to give me the freedom to write anything, even my weird stories.
I learned how to write better.
I applied the persuassive writing skills I learned.
I used what I learned from gurus in my writing.
Here’s how you can kill this “struggle”
If you struggle to write better, give yourself a challenge: Write for two hours daily, whether you feel like it or not.
Don’t try to write about a trending topic; write something from your experience.
Yes, writing is challenging; it isn’t easy, and nobody can make you a better writer if you DON’T WRITE.
I say sit down and write now! (Wait, read this article first.)
Give yourself a challenge that you’d write no what, and before you write, here are the things you should prepare yourself for:
- You will get stuck.
- You will feel overwhelmed seeing the blank page.
- You will fear that your writing will suck.
- You will feel that you lack ideas.
I have suffered all of that. But you can only pass that bearer once you overcome this discomfort and start writing.
Do you still fear you won’t have ideas? Here are the most straightforward prompts to practice and awaken your inner writing hero.
Write about the best thing you experienced in your childhood.
What is the thing you regret doing in the past?
What one lesson would you teach to your younger self?
We all know about ourselves and our past; writing about your history will let you write smoothly.
This will keep giving you the confidence you need to keep writing.
If you still struggle and stay stuck, try this: WRITE about what happened in your day.
JUST write anything and make it a journal. Over time, your hidden writing muscles will develop, and you’ll grow.
I kept writing and growing
With writing every day, I kept growing my self-esteem and my skills. The fear of “I’m not a good writer” started to vanish.
And now, I’m just about to release my newsletter, where I’ll share more tips with new writers on how to grow as writers in this online world.
