5 Surefire Steps to Kill Your Fear of Writing Online Once and for All

It’s true what they say:

“The best time to start was yesterday.”

In retrospect, it took me too long to start writing online.

But it wasn’t the algorithm’s fault.

Of course not.

Instead, I feared people would call me:

• stupid
• dumb
• naive

I worried too much .

Losing ourselves by worrying too much about fitting in is real.

But so is creating an impact by sharing our stories and experiences.

Because let’s be honest: writing online was never about you or me.

It was always about helping others.

How?

By overcoming your fear of writing online with these 5 steps.

Define your writing purpose

Why do you want to write online?

There are multiple correct answers.

And one wrong: money.

Money can and should become a byproduct of your writing.

But it should never be its sole purpose .

You can do better than that.

I couldn’t for a long time, making me fail twice here in the past.

Only understanding what I wanted made me create more valuable content.

I’m here to help you unleash the best writer in you .

Sharing what I’ve learned and still learn and how it has affected me.

Without all the fake promises, you get somewhere else.

Get clear on what you’re in for.

Set realistic expectations

You won’t go viral overnight.

And even when you do, it won’t change much.

Because here’s the thing about good writers: they aren’t strangers helping you big time once. They are true friends, being there for you all the time.

It’s better like that, anyway.

Why?

Because, as a true writer, you love the act of writing.

You’re in for the doubts, the countless fights with yourself, and the urge to throw your laptop at the wall. That’s what you do.

Focus on your output instead of your outcome.

Don’t aim for a viral article; aim for three deep dives per week that you can be proud of once you hit the “Publish”-button.

Build on realistic expectations instead of overly ambitious goals.

Only then will you have a steady foundation.

Celebrate small wins

Let’s be honest: small wins are what you’ll live off in the beginning.

10 people following you in a single day or earning back your Medium membership feels incredible.

Because it shows you that there might be something real about your dream .

That’s why you should celebrate them.

When I got my first $15 on here, I invited my GF on a coffee date.

I invited her for drinks when I got $32 the next month.

I invited her for dinner when I got $150 in my third month.

After that, I got $404 in my fourth month and did a nice day trip.

And last month closed at over $700 .

You’ve written hard to earn that money, get the claps, and follow.

Celebrate it, no matter if it’s less than some other person.

Because as long as it’s more than your past self, you’re moving in the right direction.

Don’t wait for big wins when you can celebrate your small ones, too.

Never stop learning

I failed to do this for a long time.

Although it’s simple: as a writer, you’re a solopreneur.

And solopreneurism is the actual “survival of the fittest.”

You don’t adapt, you die .

It’s simple AF.

Yet, I found myself almost going extinct last year after I had done more of the same dull stuff that has only worked in the past.

I’m no dinosaur.

Instead, I took the chance I got and have kept learning since.

You should, too.

What might work for Eve, Tim, Zulie, or your neighbor doesn’t have to work for you. But you can take the best bits and bytes and make it yours.

That’s why learning isn’t optional; it’s obligatory.

Enjoy the process

I know you have big goals.

And you should.

But this doesn’t mean you should feel miserable only because you haven’t achieved them yet. Happiness is a choice, and often, we fail to choose it.

Read that again.

In the past, I’ve always thought that once I go location-independent, that would be it. I’d have won life.

This made me feel like a loser until I got there because it took me years, many failures, a lot of hard work, and a good portion of plain luck to get there.

Surprisingly, the earth kept spinning after I made it .

The true cheat code in life is enjoying what you do already.

Because then you’ll have more happy than sad days while working towards your bigger goal.

Have fun every writing session, even if it’s painful sometimes.

Writing online isn’t something to fear.

It can be a lot of fun, fulfilling, and even make you money if you:

• know what you’re writing for,
• set realistic expectations,
• celebrate the small wins,
• never stop learning, and
• enjoy the entire process

because then you realize there’s so much more to gain than to lose.

Thank you for reading.

What has helped you overcome your fear of writing online?

Let me know in the comments.