Writing Wednesdays: 10 of the most difficult things about writing

I’ve talked plenty about writers’ block and it’s arguably one of the absolute most difficult things about writing. In this post, I’m going to offer less advice, and in this post, I’m just going to talk about some aspects tricky of writing that maybe aren’t the first things you think of. I’m hoping to do a couple of actual advice posts around some of these things soon, so keep an eye for them!

1. Wanting to start a new project when you’re busy trying to focus on your WIP.

Oh man, is this one of the most frustrating or what? It’s so hard to work on one book, but when you get the inspiration for a new book – do you try to juggle both? I prefer to try and work on just one book at a time, but it never seems to work out that way.

 
2. Finding your character’s voice…

(The struggle is real.)

3. …only to lose it a few chapters in.

Do you ever start a story, and when you read it back, your main character’s voice has changed between about chapter four and chapter five? And it’s totally consistent for the rest of the book, but the voice you liked best was the one right at the start? Honestly, I swear I do this every book I write. It’s maddening.

4. Sharing your work.

It’s such a great feeling to be proud of your work – and utterly soul-crushing when you’re faced with sharing it and dreading doing so. Putting your book out there with someone, anyone, for the first time, leaves you feeling really vulnerable.

That said: it’s worth it. You might like this post on why you should publish your work online, or this post on why it doesn’t matter if nobody reads your book.

5. When you want to write, but it just… doesn’t happen.

Sometimes after you watch a great movie or read a brilliant book you feel so inspired to write you can’t wait to get to your laptop and let the words pour out, and then they… just… don’t. Frustrating doesn’t even begin to cover it.

6. Picking a title.

Sometimes it’s the easiest thing in the world, and other times whatever you come up with just isn’t working. It doesn’t sit right, doesn’t have the right feel, doesn’t seem to be enough.

7. Figuring out how to end the story.

Am I right?

Here’s what a couple of other writers said are some of the most difficult things about writing: 

8. Alice Broadway: “Structural edits.”

(She’s not wrong. These are like a major overhaul, not just picking up a few loose ends, and it’s brutal.)

9. L.D. Lapinski: “Waiting.”

10. Courtney Pochin: “Getting started. I have so many ideas, but sitting down and trying to get the first few lines out while I’m already thinking ahead is hard.”

What are some of your biggest struggles and hurdles when it comes to writing? Share in the comments or Tweet them to me@Reekles!