5 Psychological Biases That Affect Writers

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Writers, just like everyone else, are susceptible to cognitive biases. These are mental shortcuts that can influence your thinking and decision-making, sometimes in ways that hinder your writing. Here I have written about the five most irritating biases that harm writers.

Confirmation Bias:

What is it? Our brains are bombarded with information all the time. Confirmation bias acts like a filter, subconsciously prioritizing details that confirm what we already believe and downplaying anything that contradicts it.

Impact on Writing: As a writer, confirmation bias can manifest in several ways:

• One-Sided Arguments: You might focus on including details and evidence that support your arguments in a persuasive essay, neglecting to consider counter-arguments or alternative perspectives.
• Flat Characters: When creating characters, you might portray them in a way that aligns with your existing beliefs about a certain group of people, making them predictable and lacking depth.
• Research Bias: During research, you might subconsciously prioritize sources that confirm your initial ideas and overlook information that challenges them, leading to an incomplete understanding of your topic.

Availability Heuristic:

What is it? Our brains rely on mental shortcuts to make judgments quickly. The availability heuristic is one such shortcut. It leads us to estimate the likelihood of something happening based on how easily we can recall examples of it.

If something comes to mind readily, we tend to believe it’s more common than it actually is. Conversely, if we can’t easily recall examples of something, we might underestimate its probability.

Impact on Writing: As a writer, availability heuristics can affect your creativity and originality in a few ways:

• Overused Tropes: Clichés and familiar storylines are readily available in our minds. If you rely solely on the availability heuristic, your writing might fall back on overused tropes because they’re easy to remember.
• Underestimating the Unfamiliar: Less common events or situations might not come to mind as easily. This could lead you to underestimate their significance in your writing or neglect to explore them altogether.
• Genre Clichés: Each genre has its own set of conventions and expectations. Relying on availability heuristics might lead you to stick to those clichés without considering another way that you can follow.

Anchoring Bias:

What is it?: Our brains tend to give significant weight to the first piece of information we encounter when making a judgment. This “anchor” shapes our perception of everything that follows.

In writing, the anchor could be your initial idea for a plot, character, or setting. Anchoring bias can make you cling to that initial concept, even if there might be better options or more interesting directions to explore.

Impact on Writing: As a writer, anchoring bias can hinder your creativity and flexibility in a few ways:

• Limited Exploration: You might get stuck on your initial ideas and fail to explore alternative plotlines, character motivations, or creative solutions to problems within your story.
• Tunnel Vision: Anchoring bias can lead to tunnel vision, where you focus solely on your initial concept and miss out on potential improvements or unexpected twists that could strengthen your story.
• Rewriting Struggles: When revising, you might be overly attached to your initial vision, making it difficult to make significant changes or incorporate feedback effectively.

Status Quo Bias:

What is it? Humans naturally lean towards what’s familiar and comfortable. This applies to writing as well. Status quo bias can make you stick to genres, styles, and themes you’re already comfortable with.

Impact on Writing: As a writer, status quo bias can hinder your growth and exploration in a few ways:

• Limited Experimentation: You might be hesitant to experiment with new genres, styles, or challenging themes. This can stifle your creative growth and prevent you from discovering new strengths or reaching a wider audience.
• Formulaic Writing: Sticking to the familiar might lead to formulaic writing that lacks originality or freshness. Readers might find your work predictable or uninspired.
• Missed Opportunities: By avoiding new challenges, you might miss out on opportunities to learn new skills and broaden your horizons as a writer.

Self-Serving Bias:

What is it? We make attributions, or explanations, for events. Self-serving bias makes us attribute positive outcomes to our own skills and hard work (e.g., “I won the competition because I’m a talented writer”). Conversely, we tend to blame negative outcomes on external factors like bad luck, unfair criticism, or lack of resources (e.g., “My story got rejected because the editor has bad taste”).

Impact on Writing: As a writer, self-serving bias can manifest in a few ways that might hold you back:

• Difficulty Accepting Criticism: You might struggle to accept constructive criticism, dismissing it as the critic’s personal preference or lack of understanding. This hinders your ability to improve your writing based on valuable feedback.
• Blind Spots: You might be blind to weaknesses in your own work. Overconfidence based on past successes can prevent you from recognizing areas that need improvement.
• Stunted Growth: By attributing failures to external factors, you might not take responsibility for learning from mistakes and pushing yourself to grow as a writer.

Is it Possible to Get Rid of Them?

Unfortunately, completely eliminating cognitive biases is impossible. They’re ingrained shortcuts in our thinking. However, by being aware of them and employing specific strategies, you can significantly reduce their influence on your writing:

General Strategies:

• Develop Self-Awareness: The first step is acknowledging that these biases exist and can impact your judgment. Regularly remind yourself to be mindful of them during the writing process.
• Try to do different: Expose yourself to different viewpoints and ways of thinking. Read widely, engage in discussions with people from various backgrounds, and actively seek out constructive criticism from trusted readers or writing partners.
• Practice Objectivity: Strive to approach your writing objectively. When researching, consider all sides of an issue and avoid confirmation bias. When revising, read your work with a critical eye, identifying areas for improvement rather than focusing solely on your initial vision.

Specific Strategies for Each Bias:

• Confirmation Bias: Actively seek out counterarguments to your main points and address them in your writing. Consider the validity of opposing viewpoints and present a balanced perspective.
• Availability Heuristic: Challenge your assumptions about the likelihood of something happening. Don’t rely solely on readily available examples. Research uncommon events and explore alternative possibilities for your writing.
• Anchoring Bias: Don’t get stuck on your initial ideas. Brainstorm extensively and explore different directions before settling on a concept. Be open to revising your initial plan if something better emerges during the writing process.
• Status Quo Bias: Set writing goals that encourage you to step outside your comfort zone. Challenge yourself with new genres, styles, or themes. Read widely in diverse areas to spark fresh ideas and inspiration.
• Self-Serving Bias: Embrace a growth mindset. View constructive criticism as an opportunity to learn and improve your writing. Practice self-reflection and identify areas where you can develop your skills.

Another 3 things to do:

• Debiasing Techniques: Explore debiasing techniques like the “premortem” strategy, where you anticipate potential problems with your writing before you start.
• Distance and Reflection: Take breaks from your writing and come back to it with fresh eyes. This can help you identify areas influenced by biases and make more objective decisions.
• Focus on the Process: Focus on the joy of writing and the process of creating something new, rather than obsessing over perfect outcomes. This can help you be more open to feedback and experimentation.

Remember, managing cognitive biases is an ongoing process. Be patient with yourself, and celebrate your progress as you become a better writer.