“Tis the season to be jolly” so let’s start with a jolly riddle. Q. Why are Santa’s Elves shy? A. Because they have low Elf esteem. On a less jolly note, another question. Have you ever wanted to write but can’t because you know that whatever you put down on paper won’t be worth reading? You know that for 110% certain (you can’t do maths either).

So what does a shy Elf with minimal self-esteem do? Sit there and chew your pen or face the blank screen in Word and watch that fat little arrow flashing impudently at you. Or even worse, that patronising paperclip from days gone by. Clippy. No wait, the cursor’s had a makeover and is now a  slender, pulsing line no wider than a pixel… but it’s still in line… waiting… just waiting for you to get a move on.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a sort of Creative Clippy around when you need it to get started on whatever you want to satisfy that overwhelming (sometimes) urge to express yourself in words? When you want to be writing for your Dear Reader who simply loves your work and can’t wait to read the next thrilling instalment of… whatever d*mn thing you desperately want to write but are too caught up in the devastating opposite of that popular Parisian dance—the Can’t Can’t. You, sad Elf are wracked and ruined by writer’s doubt.

Believe me, I’ve been in that vessel, floating adrift without oars or outboard to get me sailing away on a wave of inspiration, so I know how hellish it feels when you can’t just go with the flow.

But let me be clear. Here I’m not talking about full blown writer’s block. That’s an obstacle of another order, far more debilitating  than this fairly surmountable case of first-draft heebie-jeebies. And, yes Virginia, there are good cures for the sufferers of that agonizing ailment:  check out these Five fresh ways to beat writer’s block for starters.

You can conquer self-doubt

I’m talking about the lack of confidence in your ability to write readable words. Luckily, for one, you’re not alone. Plenty of other doubtful wannabe writers have teetered on the precipice of the blank page… and managed to pull themselves back to safety. And luckily, for two, even though Crea-Clippy is no longer around to help the writer in need, there are plenty of ways to conquer those pesky bouts of self-doubt holding you back from writing.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with my own silly solutions for boosting your confidence (tho some of you might find my own favorite fix aka singalong solution — see video below — too infantile for words) (but hey, it works for me!). Anyway, greater minds than mine have tackled this prickly problem and come up with soothing answers to blunt your pain.

On behalf of the Writerhood, I’ve scoured the worldly web in search of RUTS (Really Useful TechniqueS) to pull you out of your woebegone wannabe writer’s welt (and if that last phrase aint a sad case of alliterative darlings that need killing, I don’t know what is) (see below-below). In alphabetical order:

Writing

⭐ 5 Tips for Writing a First Draft

⭐ 8 steps to writing your first draft

⭐ How to Write a First Draft: Let It Be Bad

⭐ How to write when you don’t feel like it

⭐ Writing The First Draft or “The Ugly Duckling”

⭐ Writing Your First Draft: 11 Essential Tips to Get Started

⭐ Tips for writing a first draft

Psychology

⭐ 7 Ways to Overcome Self-Doubt

⭐ 10 Tips to Overcome Self-Doubt

⭐ 13 Powerful Ways to Overcome Self-Doubt (So You Can Finally Move Forward in Life)

⭐ How to Overcome Self-Doubt

⭐ Overcome self-doubt (once and for all?): 8 tips to move forward

⭐ Overcoming Self-Doubt: Why You’re Stuck and How to Get Unstuck

Killing cliché competition

Given that you are an exceptionally good writer with an inbuilt aversion to uninspired and unoriginal phrasings, it cannot have escaped your notice that this blog is chocka-full of clichés. Intentionally placed, let me assure you. First reader to come up with the correct count wins the Bashful Blagger Cat Ass Trophy. Drop your total in a comment. Be in to win!▼