by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Many of us came to the world of writing in a roundabout way. A lot of us don’t have degrees that qualify us. Because of that, we often struggle with insecurity.

We strive for validation through publication.

But no matter how many awards we win, things we publish, followers we have, the only validation that lasts is confidence.

And confidence is a decision, not a designation.

Our confidence may come from knowing who we are, knowing what we were called to do or even where we are on the journey. But it always takes a great dollop of faith to make it stick.

And some days it sticks better than others.

So here is my acronym for getting to the point of confidence, which is foundational to being a serious writer.

P is for persistence, permission, and patience

Being a writer is a journey, not a destination, so it takes persistence to stay the course. Beyond that, it’s not a path that ends in perfection. To be confident in ourselves means we have to give ourselves permission to try things and fail. Failure is an option and frequently holds the key to learning the best secrets. Finally, we must have patience. Nothing about being a serious writer comes overnight.

O is for optimism, organic, and obstacles 

The writing journey isn’t easy, and that’s especially true if we’re only looking for the worst in ourselves and everything around us. We have to develop a glass-half-full-mentality to survive. Organic is the best kind of growth for a writer. We all progress at our own speed. Comparison is the quickest way to discouragement. Finally obstacles—there are always bumps in the writing road, no matter how far along we are. Obstacles are challenges to be met, hardships to be conquered, and barriers to get around. They are NOT excuses to stop.

I is for insecurity, intuition, and inconceivable 

Insecurity isn’t something that disappears on its own. It’s one of those obstacles that must be conquered—sometimes on a daily or even hourly basis. Accept the fact that almost one hundred percent of those writing feel insecure. Intuition is often something we must learn to trust. We should take critique well, but we must become secure in our own abilities. Finally inconceivable is the emotion that happens when we take a minute to realize we’re living out our dream. It isn’t easy, but it’s a courageous thing to do and we should lean into that and celebrate on a daily basis.

N is for noise, never, and nevertheless

Noise is the chaos of life threatening to drown out the words clamoring to escape our souls. We must fight against the siren call of busyness and be about the work of writing. Never is the time when we quit. We never give up the pen. The only way to fail as a writer is to quit, so never is the driving beat deep within our souls. Nevertheless is how we keep moving forward. Certain things happen, but nevertheless we keep writing.

T is for toiling, testing, and THE call 

Toiling is what we do. It’s more than just work, it’s the driving force that keeps us writing through the night and through the chaos of life. Testing is what happens again and again as we prove to ourselves we can persevere. Finally THE call is why I do what I do. I felt God whisper that I was a writer. I feel His joy as exercise the gift He’s given me. And one day I pray to receive the ultimate affirmation when I stand before Him. “Well done good and faithful servant.”

These are the points that make up the lines that create the words that we share with the world. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this writing life.

Edie Melson—author, blogger, speaker—has written numerous books, including her most recent fiction – Alone, and nonfiction – While My Child is Away. She’s also the military family blogger at Guideposts.org. Her popular blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month and is consistently one the Writer’s Digest Top 101 Websites for Writers. She’s the director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and the Vice President of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, as well as the Social Media Director for Southern Writers Magazine.