I don't have much confidence in my ability to write, and I'm starting to think I may not be a writer

No one has confidence when they start. Hell, a lot of big named established authors are insecure at times. Neil Gaiman was, big time, about Anansi Boys.

The only thing to do is to write, keep writing, and once it's not half bad, get help to make it better. Then people will read it and tell you it does not suck.



Plus you are only 16. You've got plenty of time.

And remember that most novelists have a trunk novel or two as their first attempts.

You sound like me, when I was sixteen. I think you're putting undue pressure on yourself right now. Nothing says you have to start writing a book. You have ideas, you can write those ideas down without thinking you have to make them more than what they are.

Things will gel for you at the proper time, when you're ready for it to happen. Right now, I'd say write and draw when you get the urge. No expectations, no limitations. Go with the flow right now. You're honing your skills, finding your voice.

You shall get there.

I'm that way with a lot of things - looking at the whole house of cleaning, for example, can drive me back into bed. So I look at one cupboard only. Don't worry about the length of a chapter, and don't worry about how long it takes you (I've spent hours just trying to get one paragraph "right"). Take it one bite at a time. I would suggest setting aside a specific amount of time (even if it's 15 minutes) each day to write anything, just to start building the habit and for practice. Doesn't have to be good, doesn't have to make sense - strictly for getting into the habit and practicing your writing. As others mentioned, you're young yet and just starting - don't put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Just enjoy it. (The sweating blood will come later )

I love this quote from Adventure Time and I use it a lot - Sucking at something is the first step towards being kinda good at something.

It's frustrating to hear, but time and practice count a hell of a lot. I wish I'd been writing seriously at 16, I'd have been way further ahead at 21. You're gonna suck and it's gonna be uncomfortable, and then along the way you're gonna suck less and it'll be more normal to sit and write. Eventually you find your voice and the stories that you just HAVE to write. And then you'll be like the rest of us lunatics.

Don't worry it. First off, you don't need long chapters. If you write short chapters, you write short chapters. Second, when I was 14 I wrote fan fiction. I don't believe I ever finished a full story. It was actually how I learned I was not a panster. I allowed myself to fail and I learned about how I wrote. I took a long break. I didn't complete my first novel until I was 22.

My only advice is don't put so much pressure on yourself and things will work out as they should.

I have two thoughts on this. First, athletes and musicians need to practice. Why should writers be any different?

Second, I remind myself of the 80/20 rule: 80% of the work is accomplished by 20% of the effort. The flip side of that is that the final 20% of the work takes 80% of the effort. I have found no exceptions to this rule in principal, no matter what the task.

Short answer: give yourself some time and space to improve. You (just like all of us) will grow and get better at our own rates. Go your speed. And to be honest, I'm a little disturbed by the "only 16" thing because in reality you are where you are at the time you are there. We have had authors here be quite successful at about that age, but also where does that leave older writers? "Better hurry up, gramps! You're not getting any younger you know!" I'm typing with my tongue in cheek on that last part, but I hope you see my point that self acceptance with a sprinkling of ambition to improve goes a long way.

You're having normal self-doubt, exacerbated by teenagerdom, which is a life-stage not exactly known for an excess of self-confidence.

Can I ask you an honest question?

Why do you expect to be as good now, when you are just starting out, as people who have spent years or decades honing their skills?

It's like art, or music, or plumbing. You can't get any good without practice on your own and guidance from others.

And as for not being a writer - well, some people aren't. You're further into it than most people who say they want to be one - you've actually done some writing. But does it actually matter if you aren't 'a writer'? (whatever that means? Does it matter if this doesn't turn out to be the one thing you do for the rest of your life?

It doesn't. Stop worrying so much about it. Spend a few years having fun with it, learning from the books you read and the things you write. It might become something you do as a job, it might not. Either way, continuing with it won't hurt and may in fact benefit you.

xYinxx said:

Meh, I'm 16 currently, and I draw and write, but I find I can't just write long chapters in sessions. It takes me a while to complete one chapter; and I don't really write much.

I have ideas that I wanna write, but the actual execution of that is overwhelming. ;-;

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Then that's your style right now. Look, first thing first: If you want to write, and you can't imagine not writing, then you're a writer. That's your call. Not mine. Not anyone else's.

That doesn't mean you're ever going to sell anything. I haven't sold anything so far. But I'm a writer. And if you want this, then so are you.

OK? Now, style (and even substance, to a degree) doesn't always come right away. It takes time and effort and practice. Can't do long stuff? Then don't. I started with single-paragraph scenes I called vignettes. When I felt ready to tie them together, I did, and had some 4 and 5 page short stories. And so on.

Doesn't mean that they were any good.

But I wrote 'em, and I'm proud of that much.

Finally, at 16, you're still working on becoming the person you're going to be. Take your time and let that person come out. That process of creating who you are, it's probably part of what you're experiencing right now.

It takes some folks longer. I'm in my forties and just now feeling like I'm "getting it."

You have to give yourself permission to grow and be a student of writing (and life). This is not a sprint. It's a marathon. A very very long one. Feed yourself the best foods (read, a LOT!), train and exercise (write and fail and write some more). Enjoy the journey.

You're only sixteen. When I was sixteen, writing was much more of a struggle than it is now (I'm 23). With proper dedication, you have plenty of time to improve.

Everybody has given you awesome advice so far. Just remember that we all start out at the bottom. Pick your chin up and keep writing. You'll get there with time and a lot of practice.

I had absolutely no interest in writing when I was 16. I wish I did.

Just think by the time you reach my age, you'll be winning awards from the movies made by your books.

You're at a wonderful age where you can explore just about anything. If it's writing you're looking to get into, just have fun with it for now. Take it in baby steps, write a little bit and the next day add on more...and so on. I think it's best to test everything. There's such a huge scope to writing, fiction, non-fiction, blog writing, articles, journalism, essays...memoirs...cookbooks...I could go on and on. Just test out everything until you hit on something you're comfortable with and love to do. I think once you hone in on exactly what you want to write, that's half the battle right there.

Good luck X. And remember, just have fun with it for now and experiment a little.

Chiming in also with the "sounds like you're putting too much pressure on yourself" crowd.

You want to know how I know you have what it takes to be a writer?
The bit where you said that you have ideas that you want to write.

The execution of them might be difficult. Heck, it's difficult for us that have been writing for ages. Published authors find that execution difficult. What changes is what part of it you find difficult. I've talked to people who are just learning to write (a lot of my friends come to me for advice), and what they say they find the most intimidating is knowing where to start to fix the problems.

That, I think is the difference between the novice and the expert. I can look at their writing and spot the issues they're having, and point out what I would fix.
A novice can't do that because they haven't seen that problem before, in their own work or others' (listen to the 20-year-old preach about her life experience )
And that's what a lot of them find overwhelming. Knowing there are problems, but not knowing how to fix them, or in some cases, even how to find them.

The good news is: That's totally fixable. All the skills that will make you better at writing are learnable.

But what you have now is probably most important: The desire to write things down, and from your posts, it does sound like you want to get better. That really is, as cheesy as it sounds, the most important thing.

Good luck! I hope you feel more encouraged soon, and that you stick around.

Leave self doubt well alone. Enthusiasm is all. If you love it and just do it, you will get better. It's just the way it works.

I started playing guitar when I was fifteen. I was terrible to start, of course, but I just kept playing because I loved it so much. I don't think I even questioned whether or not I was any good. I was having fun, and that is the whole point. Six years later I was teaching guitar and a year or so after that, I was playing professionally.It paid my bills and put food on the table for ten years.

I feel the same now, at 45, about writing. I am enjoying myself and I know that I am getting better. Yes, there are moments of "Am I any good?" but in the main, it's something that I want, no, need, to do when I have free time.

Remember, no-one ever got good at something by wondering if they were good. They only got better by doing it.

Give yourself the freedom to enjoy what you do, if you love it. If you don't love it, don't do it, and if you don't give yourself that freedom, you might end up not loving it. That would be a shame.

Chris P said:

I have two thoughts on this. First, athletes and musicians need to practice. Why should writers be any different?

Second, I remind myself of the 80/20 rule: 80% of the work is accomplished by 20% of the effort. The flip side of that is that the final 20% of the work takes 80% of the effort. I have found no exceptions to this rule in principal, no matter what the task.

Short answer: give yourself some time and space to improve. You (just like all of us) will grow and get better at our own rates. Go your speed. And to be honest, I'm a little disturbed by the "only 16" thing because in reality you are where you are at the time you are there. We have had authors here be quite successful at about that age, but also where does that leave older writers? "Better hurry up, gramps! You're not getting any younger you know!" I'm typing with my tongue in cheek on that last part, but I hope you see my point that self acceptance with a sprinkling of ambition to improve goes a long way.

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Also, say you were to become a huge success by 18. What then? There's a reason so many child actors or pop stars become such train wrecks later on. There's not enough to strive for anymore and they can afford too many bad drugs.

The reality is, nobody's going to hold someone's hand all the way along. Nothing's going to make someone better at anything other than practice and nobody gains confidence by giving up on something. You will be a writer if you decide to be and are willing to put the work into it.

That is all.

kkbe said:

You sound like me, when I was sixteen. I think you're putting undue pressure on yourself right now. Nothing says you have to start writing a book. You have ideas, you can write those ideas down without thinking you have to make them more than what they are.

Things will gel for you at the proper time, when you're ready for it to happen. Right now, I'd say write and draw when you get the urge. No expectations, no limitations. Go with the flow right now. You're honing your skills, finding your voice.

You shall get there.

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Can't really argue with that. I second the folks who said that you're putting undue pressure on yourself. Your post really reminded me of myself at 16. I kept trying to write a novel, and read a ton of books on plot, structure, etc. And I got so frustrated when things didn't gel.

Doubting your ability as a writer is completely natural. I know I do.

Keep writing, listening to criticism, reading, revising, etc. You'll get where you want to be eventually. The only time you fail is if you quit.

I have ideas I want to write about, but I can't write it down in one go or in one chapter. Don't force yourself to write. Believe it or not but the human mind is better at figuring out a problem when you are not stressing out over it, let it be at the back of your mind but don't let it consume you. So don't try to put the ideas down, let it grow in your head, let the story come to you don't go to it. Write it down in little bits as it comes and then you will over time you have got a piece going.

xYinxx said:

Meh, I'm 16 currently, and I draw and write, but I find I can't just write long chapters in sessions. It takes me a while to complete one chapter; and I don't really write much.

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Well I'm a lo-o-o-ng way from 16 and I still take a fair length of time to complete a chapter. Some writers sprint along and some write at a snail's pace. It isn't a race. Ideas are always the easy part. Execution not so much. Set yourself small, attainable goals and write as frequently as you can. Writing sessions can be as long or as short as you like. There are no rules about how long you need to work. Keep in mind that the first thing you write isn't set in stone and no one else needs to see it until you're satisfied. That's one of the beauties of a delete key.

You're sixteen. I've been writing since I was able to (grade 2? 3?) and I still haven't finished any piece of work that I've started by my own accord. I'm twenty-one now. I've spent the last four months trying to finish the first draft of the third chapter of my novel. It's a long and arduous process.

If you don't know, then the only question you have to ask yourself is: do you want to be a writer? Better yet, do you want to write?

If the answer is yes, then write.

I write because I love to do it, and when I get in a funk, well... so what? This is my passion, I'll never stop - I couldn't if I tried. Don't question yourself, just write - if you want to.

You've got a head start on me, then. When I was sixteen, if anyone suggested I write I'd have asked them why I should want to spend my free time doing essays. Especially when I was busy coming up with excuses as to why I was slacking off the school-assigned ones. I'd tried fanfiction once or twice before realising I was bad at it. Happily, those early works are, if not lost to time, then lost to me.

So, you might think you're not great now. You might not be able to churn out words like some on these boards. But really, does it matter if you're enjoying yourself?

In short, pretty much what everyone else said.

I was sixteen when I attempted to write my first novel. That was, *cough cough*, some sixteen years ago. Back then, I didn't join any writer forums, did not consult any books, did not have too much time to write, and, well, did not have the experience I have today.

But because I did start, I am able to look at my writing today, and sometimes go 'wow' (other times I just want to throw up, but that's part of the game anyway).

Just start writing.

You are sixteen going on seventeen, buddy, it's time to stink.

Better be wareful, wasteful and dareful (sorry, I made that word up), buddy you're on the brink.

And if you can guess where that misquote came from I'll rep you forever.

Seriously, all those who said you're young are right. You haven't had the experience yet that someone older i.e. late teens, twenties, thirties, etc. has had. You're still growing.

Yes, there are some hotshot young writers out there--very few. Do NOT compare yourself to them at all. Never. That's setting yourself up for failure right away. FWIW, just write. Even if it blows chunks, just write something down, make it as coherent as possible, and don't worry about sucking at it. You've got other, more important things to worry about, like school, zits, dates, and so on. Writing will always be there.

I'm almost fifty-two (horror!) and I didn't start writing until I was forty-eight. I got published at forty-nine, but I digress, and to be honest, if I knew then what I know now, my first novel would have been a LOT better. So you do have time on your side. Just write, read, and write some more.

Sixteen is young. Read books, have adventures, observe the world, travel, make friends, study and learn .... Make a copy of your post. Re-read it when you're thirty-two. Things will look a lot different then.

It's natural to have self-doubt. And I think writing is a craft where it can be difficult sometimes to have a healthy perspective. I think some other activities (like a lot of sports, for example) devote more attention to the learning process and to different skill/experience levels. For example, college basketball is very popular, but a lot of people have experience either watching or playing high school basketball.

With writing, a lot of beginner and amateur writers' work doesn't get read by anyone except may a few friends or a critique group. Most of the writing you read is probably by experienced, professionally published authors. This can be a great way of learning what really good writing can be like, but you want to be careful not to hold yourself up to a standard that you're not ready for yet.

If you do the best that you can do right now, then you're doing well--even if your best isn't perfect. And if you keep practicing, and doing your best, your capabilities will probably increase over time.

But I also wouldn't be too hard on yourself about taking a while to finish chapters. Not everyone writes at the same pace, and writing can be labor intensive (especially when you're tackling something that's tricky). You might find you write faster as you become more experienced, but it's also possible that you'll never be as fast of a writer as some people are. As long as you're not getting stuck too often, and you're happy with your output, there's nothing wrong with that.