How To Become A Confident Writer

Becoming a confident writer requires consistent practice and a willingness to receive feedback and continue learning..

Of course in order to get feedback, you have to seek it out.

Yet many writers choose to go it alone up until they have to submit their work to an agent or publisher.

And, I get it!

After all, writing a non-fiction book is deeply personal, especially when it’s based on your life experience or business.

But when it comes to writing your book proposal, guidance and community can make all the difference in feeling comfortable sharing your story.

In this blog post, I’ll share how to become a confident writer, drawing on my conversation with soon-to-be author Lily Womble. Listen to it here!

You’ll learn how she boosted her confidence by embracing experience, writing in community and surrendering to the creative process. 

Let’s dive into it!

Embrace your unique story and perspective

As a former matchmaker turned dating coach, Lily had been labeled sensitive, loud, opinionated, and “too much” for most of her life.

Raised In the south, she was surrounded by people who measured a woman’s value on her marriage status and quiet demeanor. .

That didn’t sit well with Lily, so her mission became to help women build a clear path to the best relationship of their life–on their terms.

Her perspective? 

Dating should be an act of self-care. And women rejoiced!

So when Lily was working on her book proposal, she knew her unique story and opinion was an asset. 

She vowed to show up in her book the same way she does for her clients – raw, real and bold. 

But like many authors, she wasn’t sure how it would be received.

Would enough readers resonate with her message?

Was her tone “too much”?

Lily knew that she needed an outside perspective on her work to observe initial reactions and receive feedback.

So she joined my Book Proposal Blueprint program for the structure, step-by-step guidance and community she needed to complete her proposal.

Writing In Community with Authors

Like many writers, Lily hesitated to join a group program. 

After all, writing a non-fiction book based on your framework is a deeply personal endeavor.

But Google or her family weren’t going to give her the candid feedback she needed.

As Lily became more comfortable, she drew on the incredible support she found in the group. 

She got real-time feedback in the dedicated time she had to read aloud to me and other members. 

As she shared in the episode, 

“When I read it out loud in the group, I felt so celebrated and cared for. And having that boost of I don’t know what happy hormone it was. Having that validation of the group was such a boost of energy. It was so nice to have the proposal seen and highly celebrated before it was done.”

The energy of fellow authors and expert guidance in those initial stages of the process helped Lily build her confidence and empowered her to make major progress on her book proposal.

And, it inspired her to share her work with the world, including on Instagram and TikTok!

Sharing Your Work with the World as a Confident Writer

If you follow me on Instagram @richellefredson, you know I have a great time creating reels.

And while I have a lot of fun posting, Instagram is my main platform to share my personality, experience and services with my audience. 

If you’re building your platform, Instagram may be a great place to connect and build awareness for your work and book. 

Lily reluctantly got into reels and really found her groove – to her surprise.

She says, 

“My love of reels came from my love of just being truthful. I created reels asking, ‘What are people saying and believing in this dating world?’ My fuel is the dating advice that I hated. And then it spiraled from there in a great way.”

But if Instagram is not your jam, find a channel that is. More recently, Lily experimented with teaching in short bursts on TikTok and quickly amassed over 90,000 followers! Check her out @datebrazen on both platforms!

I always advise authors to show up where they feel most comfortable – not where they think they have to be – and where their target readers spend their time.

Being fully yourself when you TALK about your work and life, leads to confidence when you write it. Owning your voice and acknowledging your experiences is the special sauce that will make your writing impactful.

Surrendering To The Process

When I advise aspiring authors about how to become confident writers, especially regarding their book proposals, I talk a lot about surrendering to the process.

I can’t think of an author I’ve met or worked with where this isn’t a major part of their journey.

Driven people tend to think of book proposal writing as another task on their to-do list. They assign timelines based on their goal, without considering that the book process is personal work as well as a professional endeavor.

That mindset often brings pressure to meet unrealistic deadlines, leading to creative blocks that hinder your progress.

Lily was no different. 

She had a goal of completing her book proposal within ten weeks, aiming to be “a star student.” 

As she worked through the necessary steps of the process, her timeline stretched.

And, she recognized that she had to manage her perfectionistic tendencies in service of submitting a proposal reflective of all she had to offer.

Plus, Lily had to balance the demands of running her business and recognize that life still exists outside of work.

Can you relate?

Here’s the lesson: while it may seem counterproductive, it’s essential to allow the creative process to unfold naturally.

Epilogue: How to Become a Confident Writer

Lily’s story is a testament to the power of embracing your unique perspective and the value of writing in a community with other authors. 

By being vulnerable and sharing her story with other writers, she found the structure, guidance, and support she needed to complete her book proposal and build her confidence as a writer. That confidence is continuing to flow as she pours that energy into her manuscript.

The energy and validation from fellow authors and trusted experts, helped her to share her work with her target market, including on social media.

Her platform is growing and she doesn’t feel as if she’s “staring down the barrel of an 80-page book proposal” anymore! She’s now on her way to authorship! 

Interested in the program that helped Lily complete her book proposal? Click here to read all about it.