Comparing one's writing abilities to those of others: Its Causes and Solutions

Comparing one's writing abilities to those of others: Its Causes and Solutions

Socialize with Caution: How Social Media Harmfully Impacts Writer's Creativity and Productivity

Hey there, mate! It's easy to lose track of time scrolling through social media, but if you're a writer, you should be aware of the two major pitfalls that come with too much cyberspace indulgence.

First off, it's a time-sucking beast! Let's face it – every author knows that. Social media is always hungry for your precious minutes, despite those numerous articles out there offering tips on conquering the time-suck of social media.

But the other harmful effect is harder to overcome because it feeds into our inherent fears and self-doubt. It's the dreaded comparison game.

Social media - eventually, if you spend enough time there - will encourage you to compare your work (and your word count) to everyone else's. This tendency to fall into the comparison game is further reinforced by our culture, which emphasizes competition and separation as dominant beliefs, and leans heavily on the rational mind as a sort of magic spell-worker that can produce anything as long as it follows the right formula.

Our culture convinces us that everything comes down to science, so there must be some kind of science behind every success story. That's why we're so drawn to clickbait articles like "Writing a Bestselling Novel in 30 Days", "Finishing Your Book Using This 3-step Formula", or "Gaining a Million New Readers Using These Proven Techniques". I'll admit, I've been guilty of clicking on a few myself.

Writing is hard (trust me, I've been at it for years), but it's also one of the most beautiful, rewarding things I've ever done. It's easy to be tempted by the idea that there's some sort of scientific formula that can break the creative process down into a series of mechanical steps. But that's bullsh*t, mate.

Social media thrives on articles like those because they're eye-catching, easy to read, and they generate a ton of clicks. But don't let that fool you – they don't always contain valuable information. And if you spend too many hours on social media, it's incredibly easy to spend way too much time reading articles like those and then feeling like sh*t afterwards because you think you're doing everything wrong.

Some writers write only once a week, some only once a month. Some writers have low word counts after a writing session, like 50 words or less. And guess what? That's okay. Every writer is scared, every writer feels alone, and every writer is pretty sure that everyone else has their sh*t together and they are the only one still flailing.

That's the truth, mate.

And here's some more truth: Every single writer has a unique creative body that works differently from everyone else's. Your creative body needs to rest and recover, just like your physical body. It get hungry, it processes ideas, and it can heal itself after trauma. It's directly affected by your emotions and the energy surrounding you. And remember – it's wise beyond your years and knows exactly where it needs to be and what it needs to be doing. It knows exactly what it is here to create and the next step it needs to take to bring those ideas to life.

So, the next time you catch yourself on social media and find yourself falling into the comparison game, remember to center yourself and pull away from it like a glossy ad in a magazine. Your unique creative body is so much more than that. Embrace its uniqueness and nurture it, mate – and don't let the lure of social media distract you from its wisdom!

Lauren Sapala is a writing coach who focuses on personal growth and artistic development for introverted, intuitive writers. She is the author of The INFJ Writer and blogs on writing, creativity, and personality theory. She resides in San Francisco.

Bonus Insights:

• Repeatedly comparing your work to others' can stifle originality and creativity by causing fear of not meeting perceived standards[1][3].
• Anxiety generated by the fear of criticism or comparison can discourage experimentation with new ideas or styles, limiting creativity[5].
• Social media distractions and poor time management can lead to reduced productivity[5].
• Constant comparison and pressure to produce content can lead to increased anxiety, stress, and burnout[5].
• To avoid these negative effects, writers should set boundaries, focus on authenticity, and practice self-care[1][5].

1. The creative process in writing is unique for every author, just like how each body in health-and-wellness is different, requiring its own rest and recovery.
2. In the world of science and productivity, there often exists a temptation to find a formula for success, similar to the pursuit of the perfect cooking recipe or a fashion-and-beauty regimen that guarantees results.
3. A writer's lifestyle, much like minding one's mental-health, calls for setting boundaries and nurturing their unique creative body, rather than succumbing to the distractions of food-and-drink articles or the comparison game on social media.
4. Comparing one's writing progress to others on social media can hinder creativity and originality, much like the endless scrolling through photos and advertisements in lifestyle magazines can lead to feelings of inadequacy.

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