by Suzanne Lieurance
Have you ever looked back at something you wrote a year or two ago and realized you’ve become a much better writer than you remembered? Growth often happens so gradually that we don’t notice it. The problem is that while our writing improves, our expectations of ourselves sometimes stay exactly the same.
Many writers continue choosing goals that fit the person they were a few years ago instead of the writer they’ve become. They play it safe, postpone bigger projects, and quietly convince themselves they’ll try ‘someday.’ If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
This month’s theme is Bold Creative Expansion, and one of the best ways to grow is to recognize the habits that are keeping you small. As you read, think about which sign describes you most often. If your long-term goal is to consistently complete meaningful projects, also read How Writers Can Become Finishers.
1. Are You Playing It Safe With Your Writing?
Safe ideas feel comfortable because you already know you can write them. The problem is that comfortable projects rarely stretch your creativity. If the story you keep avoiding is also the one that excites you the most, that isn’t a coincidence. Writers grow by attempting work that feels just a little beyond their current confidence.
The next time you’re choosing between the safe idea and the one that makes your heart beat a little faster, ask yourself which project you’ll be proud to have finished a year from now. Chances are it won’t be the easy one.
2. Why Waiting Until You’re Ready Holds Writers Back
Almost every successful writer can point to a time when they began before they felt ready. They submitted work before they were confident, started books before they knew every detail, and learned by doing.
Waiting feels productive because it looks like preparation. In reality, endless preparation often becomes another form of procrastination. Confidence usually comes after action—not before it.
3. Are You Downplaying Your Writing Dreams?
Pay attention to how you talk about your writing. Do you say you’re ‘just’ writing a little book? Do you describe your goals as something you’ll probably never achieve anyway? Those small words reveal bigger beliefs.
Start describing your goals with confidence. You’re not pretending they’re already finished; you’re simply giving yourself permission to take them seriously.
4. Is Fear of Failure Running Your Writing Life?
Fear isn’t always loud. Sometimes it quietly influences the projects you choose, the opportunities you ignore, and the deadlines you never set. When avoiding disappointment becomes more important than creating something meaningful, fear has become your creative director.
Instead, begin asking yourself, ‘What would I do if I believed I could figure this out?’ That question alone can change the direction of your writing career.
5. Have You Outgrown Your Writing Goals?
When goals stop requiring courage, they’re no longer helping you grow. Maybe you mastered short stories but keep avoiding the novel you’ve wanted to write. Maybe you’ve published several books but haven’t challenged yourself in years.
Growth comes from setting goals that require you to become a slightly different writer by the time you reach them.
6. The Writers You Admire Are Showing You What’s Possible
It’s easy to compare yourself with successful writers, but comparison isn’t always negative. Often it points toward something you genuinely want.
Instead of thinking, ‘I could never do that,’ ask yourself, ‘What small step could I take this week that moves me in that direction?’ Admiration becomes useful when it inspires action.
7. Why That Story Won’t Leave You Alone
Some story ideas disappear after a few days. Others stay with you for years. Those persistent ideas usually matter because they challenge you to grow.
Rather than waiting for the perfect time, begin gathering notes, writing scenes, or outlining chapters. Small steps have a way of turning intimidating dreams into finished books.
Your Next Step
Choose the one sign that resonated with you most and decide on one action you’ll take this week. Make it small enough to accomplish but meaningful enough to move you closer to the writing life you really want.
If you’d like a step-by-step way to build momentum, continue with the 7-Day Writer’s Manifestation Kickstart.
For weekly coaching, accountability, and encouragement from other writers, join Monday Morning Manifestors.
Suzanne Lieurance is the author of over 40 published books and a transformational Law of Attraction coach for writers who are ready to stop waiting to feel like the real thing. At Write by the Sea, she guides writers through the identity shift that changes everything — not just the writing, but the whole life built around it. She is the publisher of Manifesting Monthly magazine and the host of Monday Morning Manifestors.
