Low self-esteem is something that you always know is there, in the back of your mind, but that you don’t often try to actively work on, mostly because it feels like such an uphill battle. Writers with low self-esteem are usually aware that they have the problem, but conquering it seems impossible. This is because low self-esteem is often something the writer has already struggled with for years, and also because there are no quick and easy answers.
The thing writers with low self-esteem hear the most often in the way of advice is, “Be more confident!” Or, “Love yourself!” This advice is pretty much worthless, because low self-esteem is not something you can just determine to get over, and then fight your way over it. It’s not something you can wish away or decide that you’re not going to struggle with anymore. Low self-esteem is insidious, shape-shifting, and for most writers who have it, a constant condition of life.