You’re not as good as your best work. Everybody has good days. Steve Martin says that they’re “accidental and statistical” like lucky cards in poker.
Determine your true level of ability with the Feeling Crappy Test. How good is the work you can produce day after day after day, even when you’re feeling crappy? That’s how good you really are.
My friend, Roger Patterson, put it another way: “You know you’re a professional when you can deliver a professional level of performance every day, regardless of what’s going on around you.”
Think about this as you assess your personal skills. How good are they, really?
Think about this as you assess your specialized knowledge of the topic you want to write about. Do you need to do more homework?
Think about this as you assess your writing skills? Are they professional level? If not, you can develop them or hire help.