We all go through ups and downs, myself included. And sometimes the low moments in life feel insurmountable. I find this especially true for children’s writers. Whether you’re stuck on a blank page or struggling to find an illustrator (which you can learn about HERE, by the way), sometimes it feels like you just don’t have the right resources to make progress. There are times when that’s true, but more often than not, I find that every problem turns out to be a mindset problem. In this blog, you’ll discover why mindset problems plague us all and how to overcome them.
Why Every Problem is a Mindset Problem
Why We All Encounter At Least One Mindset Problem
Unfortunately, making mistakes or feeling unmotivated are a part of being human. When I published my first book, I struggled a lot. I made some wrong decisions and had to work very hard to convince myself to continue working on my picture book. Throughout my experience writing for children, here’s what I’ve discovered about the mindset problem.
Fear holds us back. I see so many writers struggle with fear. Whether it be fear of what people will think when you tell them you’re becoming an author, fear of marketing and putting yourself out there, or fear of what readers will think, fear can be a huge hiccup in a writer’s life.
Think about what’s holding you back from diving head first into your writing. What fears could be holding you back, plaguing you with a mindset problem?
Self-Esteem is hard to maintain. Even if you start your writing journey with lots of confidence, it can be hard to keep up, especially considering all the thought and energy that goes into writing for children.
FREE MIRROR EXERCISE PRINTOUT
Ready to build your self-esteem? Developing a new discipline is easy with this cheatsheet taped to your mirror.
I’ll be honest, in the midst of writing and helping other authors publish, I still hit this roadblock. I think, who am I to give advice to these incredible writers? Who would want to listen to ME?
And if there’s one thing I know about the mindset problem, it’s that low self-esteem is often the culprit.
We try to do it alone. Lots of children’s writers have a message to share with young readers. They’re also some of the most hard-working and passionate people I’ve met. Oftentimes, children’s writers want to take on all the hard work and hesitate to accept help from their peers. This ISN’T because children’s writers are prideful or arrogant. It’s because they are passionate about what they do and know that they can work hard to meet their goals.
But taking on everything all at once can create a mindset problem, which is why we need to do our best to overcome them.
How to Overcome a Mindset Problem
When we break down roadblocks and take a closer look, it becomes obvious that most times, every problem is a mindset problem. That’s why we need to work hard to prioritize our mental health and learn how to strengthen our confidence (especially as writers). Here’s how to overcome a mindset problem.
Kick fear to the curb. It’s much easier said than done, but if you can identify and overcome the voice of fear early in your writing journey, you’ll find the whole process so much more enjoyable. And if you’re reading this blog later in your journey, it’s not too late to start investing time and energy into your mindset.
Here are some of my favourite practices for overcoming fear:
Call on friends and family for support
Affirm your success daily (e.g., “I CAN be a successful children’s author”)
Look at more experienced writers as examples and learn from their experiences
Practise self-esteem building. When I caught my daughter criticising herself, I gave her The Mirror Exercise. It’s an easy self-esteem-boosting exercise you can incorporate every day.
First, you must look at yourself in the mirror. Then, you will speak to yourself using affirmations about your skills, capabilities, and potential. Finally, you’ll end the entire practice by saying “I love you, [NAME].”
FREE MIRROR EXERCISE PRINTOUT
Ready to build your self-esteem? Developing a new discipline is easy with this cheatsheet taped to your mirror.
Do this every day and watch your self-esteem grow!
Connect with a supportive community. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: a community makes such an instrumental difference in a writer’s life.
Because even when we struggle to love ourselves, a community will be there to pick you up and help you overcome any mindset problem.
This community can be writing-focused, self-development-focused, or your regular run-of-the-mill small group of friends and family. No matter what your community looks like, trust me when I say that support is EVERYTHING.
And if you’re looking for a writing community but aren’t sure where to look, check out my Children’s Book Writers Community on Facebook.