Intro:
Writing is a fundamental skill that we use in our personal and professional lives. However, for some individuals (like myself), writing can be a tedious task that triggers feelings of anxiety, dread and boredom. If you’re also someone who has an aversion to writing, it’s important to understand the reasons behind your resistance and learn strategies for overcoming it…or so I’m told. In this post, we’ll talk about some of the common reasons why people like you and I have an aversion to writing and provide tips I found for overcoming it.
Fear of judgment:
One of the most common reasons why people have an aversion to writing is a fear of judgment. Many individuals worry that their writing won’t be good enough or that others will criticize them. This fear can be paralyzing and prevent people from expressing themselves through any medium, including writing. There are two quotes that I’ve come across and like to hand off to others. Hopefully, you will find them as useful as I have.
Let your fear of regret be stronger than your fear of failure.
– Ruth Soukup
If you can’t beat fear, just do it scared.
– Glennon Doyle Melton
Tip: Remember that writing is a skill that can be developed through practice. Try to focus on improving your writing rather than worrying about what others might think. Also, remember that constructive criticism can be helpful for improving your writing skills.
Lack of confidence:
Another reason why people may have difficult time writing is a lack of confidence in their writing abilities or maybe their abilities in general. This can be due to past negative experiences, a perception that writing is a difficult task or even a generalized fear of the unknown. Something I like to say to reassure myself in times like these is:
How can you expect to be an expert at something that you’ve never done?
And even if you have some experience in writing, you've probably heard of the 10,000 hour rule to mastering something. The point is, if you have 0 - 9,999 hours of practice doing something, then no one expects you to be a master of it.
Tip: Start with small writing tasks (like blogs 👀) and build up your confidence over time. Consider taking a writing course or working with a tutor to improve your skills. You can also try writing exercises or prompts to get the creative juices flowing. For me, blogs allow me to choose the topics I write about with the added benefit of making them more biased/personal than just throwing a list of facts at the reader.
Perfectionism:
Perfectionism can also be a large reason why some individuals struggle with their writing. They may feel that their writing needs to be perfect and spend too much time editing and revising. This can often tie back into a fear of judgment. The sense of “If it’s not perfect then no one will like it." is one of the largest and most time consuming obstacles that I deal with. You can spend your 10,000 hours perfecting and mastering your art and there will always be some imperfection, either in what you’ve created or in the eyes of the viewer. A general rule of thumb I use for things like this and even in my personal programming is:
Build it now. Make it look pretty later.
Tip: Remember that writing is a process, and it’s okay to make mistakes. Try to focus on getting your ideas down on paper first and then worry about editing later. Also, consider setting realistic goals for yourself, such as writing for a certain amount of time each day or writing a small section at a time, rather than striving for perfection.
Lack of motivation:
Finally, if you are like me, you may have an aversion to writing simply because you lack motivation. You may not see the value in writing or struggle to find topics that peak your interest. It's important to identify this reason to better combat it. Chalking your lack of motivation to "Being Lazy" is self deprecating and often isn't the actual reason. Who cares what the topic is if it's what interests you? The goal is to write. Do whatever you have to, to make it happen.
Tip: Try to find topics that inspire you or that you’re passionate about. Set goals for yourself, such as completing a certain number of writing tasks each week. You can also consider joining a writing group or finding a writing partner to help keep you motivated. Reward yourself for your writing. After a writing session, do something that makes you feel good and repeat the process.
The Wrap Up:
In conclusion, having an aversion to writing can be challenging, tedious, and daunting, but it’s not insurmountable. By understanding the reasons behind your resistances and adopting strategies for overcoming them, you can improve your writing skills and overcome your aversion to writing. Remember that writing is a skill that can be developed over time, and with practice, you can become a more confident and skilled writer…or so I’m told.