Ouch! Right?

We all sit down to write with ideas and stories in our heads. Words come out on the page. And then… We stall. We get writer’s block. We procrastinate. We feel all sorts of self-doubt about our ability to write or whether anyone will ever care enough to read our words. We get leveled by setbacks like rejections and bad reviews.

One of the challenges of writing is that it comes from within us. There’s no blueprint or set of instructions for how to magically turn ourselves in confident, successful writers. We can take craft course after craft course and learn the mechanics of writing, but we’re still left with all of the junk muddled up inside our heads that doesn’t really care that we’ve learned how to write a short story as much as it cares about the fear, anxiety, doubt, guilt, and shame.

There’s a reason why so many people never finish that book or novel that they’ve been dreaming about: we get in the way of ourselves. And unless you have an awareness and understanding of how and why you’re doing it, you’ll probably keep doing it.

Why should you spend some time on writer development and not just writing development?

• You’ll discover your process for writing. There’s so much advice out there on how to write, but it may not work for YOU. Spending some time on your development will help you discover your process, so you can write easier, better, faster.

• It prepares you to succeed. There are so many ways that we get in our own way, from procrastinating to doubting ourselves to perfectionism. Developing as a writer helps you build a stronger foundation so when the setbacks and challenges happen, you won’t topple.

• It transfers over into other areas of your life. Writer development is personal development. The confidence and positive behaviors you bring into your writing will seep into other areas of your life too, from workplaces to home life.

• Investing in yourself is important. Writing doesn’t always come with big royalty checks so many writers try to avoid spending money on anything that they don’t have to. Personal development as a writer often falls into that category. Yet, investing in yourself through personal development isn’t just about the money. Will you earn more as a writer if you invest in personal development. Not always, but it helps. The benefits aren’t just monetary, though. You’ll feel better about yourself, your writing, and your ability to succeed.

Businesses spend time and money on personal development. Thinking of your writing as a business can feel a little revolutionary when you are just starting out, but the personal development isn’t any less important for you than it is for a CEO of a business. You can both benefit from it.

What are the best ways to find writer development?

• Hire a writing coach. Not everyone can afford a personal coach, but you’ll generally find better and quicker results if you can. If meeting individually with a coach is out of your range, look for group coaching options. For writers, the key is to find a coach who does focus on writer development, not just writing or story development.

• Take a course. While they are in the minority as far as writing courses, you can find courses for writers that focus on writer development. Becca Syme’s Write Better Faster, Lara Zielin’s Author Your Life, and my own course Delete the Doubt fall into this category. If you can, look for courses that encourage you to individualize or personalize the information for your personality, experiences, and goals.

• Find personal development books or articles. Look for those geared toward writers or creatives and be sure to think about how or when the information may apply to your life. Keep in mind that just like writing development advice, not all of the advice may apply for your personality, goals, or experience so watch for the advice that does and work to incorporate it in your own life.

As you work on your writing, don’t forget to spend some time developing yourself. You’ll find that the benefits will make you a stronger, more confident writer and person.