How to Not Compare Yourself To Others
This article will tackle the common problem writers face when they compare themselves to others and consequently get discouraged. Don't worry - it happens to the best of us!
Know what’s original about your own work. It could be something as small as sentence structure or as large as character development. Everyone has some unique writing trait, and once you find yours, it will be much easier to stay focused on your own work.
Learn how to recognize when you’re criticising yourself through comparison. For example, I begin thinking about how my writing’s never going to succeed if I’m faced with work that I feel is better than mine in comparison. If you can recognize these thought patterns, it’ll be easier to disbelieve them.
Don’t just avoid all work you’re scared of comparing to yours. I dislike reading incredibly popular books on Wattpad because many of them read like polished, published bestsellers - and that’s without the editing process that actual published authors receive. However, avoidance isn’t healthy, either. It would be like a sports team refusing to play against anyone else, so they were eternally stuck with their own players to game with, at the same skill level constantly. I’d like to think that writing isn’t as competitive as sports, but you hopefully understand my analogy. Familiarize yourself with the best works out there, and you’ll better understand how to improve your writing!
Know that you’ll never be the best. This is perhaps the best advice that I’ve ever received. I’ve also mentioned it in previous articles. If you accept that there will always be someone better than you, then you won’t feel pressured to compare yourself to others. That doesn’t mean beat your own work into the ground - just focus on you, and be able to enjoy other books! (Singer Grace Vanderwaal nicely discusses this exact same idea in her recent YouTube video.)
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These are just a few beginning tips in avoiding comparison. Experiment a little - make sure to find out what works for you, and understand that confidence won't come overnight! I wish you all the best of luck in your writing ventures :)
