There is a novice perception that a writer must be confident before they can start. But how much does confidence influence your writing, is it harder to begin writing without confidence than with it? In her video about how to plan you writing project, Yumna Samie explains: “With the right planning techniques, you can write more effectively, efficiently and feel less stress.” Of course, it can help, but many times it’s just difficult to begin a composition. For some, confidence emerges from a plan or outline, for others it comes naturally because of all the experience they’ve had writing, and for others confidents just never comes. As Anne Lamott describes in her text Shitty first Drafts: “The right words and sentences just do not come pouring out like ticker tape most of the time…”

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A way to begin writing, even with lack of confidence, may be freewriting. Richard Marius says “Sit down and write. And write, and write, and write.” By writing whatever comes to mind non-stop it might be easier to get some ideas going. This initial approach is not reader-friendly yet but a good first step to get some words on the page. It then has to be rearranged, edited and reworded but the ideas are there.  Yumna talks about writer’s block in her video about invention and one of the ways to get passed it is with freewriting. Lack of confidence doesn’t have to bring a writer down, it is possible to begin writing even without confidence.  

 

 

References:

Yumna Samie: How to Plan Your Writing Project: Study Hall Composition #3: ASU + Crash Course Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlnabMCWtY4

Yumna Samie: Invention and the Writing Process: Study Hall Composition #2: ASU + Crash Course Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BCr4hXdrUw

Writing Drafts by Richard Marius

Shitty First Drafts by Anne Lamott