Overcoming Self-Doubt as a Christian Author

As a new-ish author, I have plenty of self-doubt. More than likely, I have so much doubt that it’s overflowing. I could even lend you some, but for some reason, I seem to hoard it. I wear robes of self-doubt like a security blanket. Not because I don’t recognize that it’s crippling my self-esteem and confidence as an author, but because it feels safe. I can’t disappoint myself if I never believed in myself…right?

And in all honesty, one of the main reasons this self-doubt keeps popping up, no matter how much I write, publish, and accomplish, is because it agrees with a lie that the enemy likes to whisper in my head whenever I get “too” confident.

You’re not enough.

These three words serve as an anchor for this self-doubt, giving it staying power.

In real life, this often looks like moving from project to project without recognizing or celebrating my accomplishments. For example, when I finished the second round of edits for Fall, the second book in my Christian Fantasy series, my immediate response was to think of all the things about my book that weren’t good enough. I became frustrated with myself because I didn’t feel that I was producing fast enough. I started to pressure myself to complete the third stage of editing. And this pressure gave the enemy an opportunity to take his shots. 

You’re not a good writer. You’re never going to finish this series. If you do, it won’t be good. Your efforts will never be good enough.

And boom! What started as simple frustration became self-doubt, and when left unchecked, it left room for the enemy to sneak in and add his unnecessary two cents. Now, I was left disappointed. Instead of celebrating that I’m halfway through the editing phase, which is a dream come true in itself, I was focusing on the bad. I was making those lies of the enemy into truth.

And it took me realigning my sight on God to realize what had happened.

Self-doubt, which I’m sure every writer has, crept in. And instead of taking it to God, I took responsibility for it. I kept it. I listened to it. I nourished it by letting it feed on my fear. And this opened the door for the enemy to come in.

The enemy’s main goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10)

He wants to steal your God-given dreams and gifts. He wants to kill your excitement for creating and doing what God has positioned you to do. He wants to destroy every plan that God has for you. 

But he doesn’t come all at once. He slides in quietly when we don’t notice. And we open the door for him when we don’t take our frustration, self-doubt, and disappointment to God in prayer. 

I say this to you, as an author who often struggles with confidence and perfectionism, let’s take every feeling to God. And instead of listening to the lies of the enemy, we can listen and remember God’s truths about us.

He chose us. (1 Peter 2:9) He loves us. (John 3:16) He has a plan for us. (Jeremiah 29:11) And He will keep us from falling. (Jude 24)

I love you. God loves you. Keep Going.