Writing is no easy task. It may seem like it's not that difficult to just put words on a page, but writing can prove to be a very frustrating and draining activity. It seems simple to some, but writer's know all of the struggles that surface while trying to write. Thomas Mann wrote in his book "Essays of Three Decades," "A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people." So what are the struggles of writing? What makes transferring thoughts to a page so tough, you ask? Here are the problems that writers face during the writing process. Maybe all of you wordsmiths that are reading can relate.
1. So. Many. Ideas.
This is usually the first thing to happen. It seems like it would be great. After all, many ideas are better than no ideas, right? Wrong. Having so many wonderful ideas floating around in your head can cause a serious meltdown.
2. You've finally picked an idea, so now it's time to write.
There's just one problem... How do you write again? You had all these ideas, you finally narrowed it down to one, you put your fingers on the keyboard and...nothing. Where do you start? What's the setting? Who is the protagonist? Ugh, writing is hard.
3. Next step: Coffee! Maybe tea? Then coffee again.
What better way to get motivated to write than to drink five cups of coffee and 12 cups of tea? Writers are always asked: tea or coffee? I say, "Why not both?" In fact, there is an article here that explains how tea can actually help you become a better writer. So, go ahead and wrap up in that blanket with a cup of pure caffeine. Let the creativity flow.
4. The necessary evil: outlining.
Some would actually say that outlining whatever it is that you're writing is not necessary. However, it can't hurt you to outline. It can only help. Getting all of your ideas on paper will prove to be really useful when you're writing later on.
5. That moment when you can't figure out how to start...
One of the toughest things while writing is deciding where, when, and how to start your story. Should you have a dramatic opening? How detailed should you make it? Will the first sentence intrigue your audience? Should you take a break and watch a whole season of "Friends?" Yes.
6. You get a sudden burst of inspiration! Nothing can stop you now! Except that cute cat video you saw on Facebook.
Procrastination is a huge issue for pretty much everyone. Caffeinated drinks and Netflix aren't the only distractions to writers. Writers eventually hit a point where anything that has nothing to do with what they're writing is all they care about.
7. Writer's block is very real, you guys.
You might hear that writer's block is really just writer's insecurity. This may be true in some cases, but a lot of the time writer's block is just simply that. A writer's block. You have no idea where to go from here, and you start to think you never will.
8. Self-doubt kicks in, and self-doubt kicks hard.
There comes a time in every writer's life where they begin to doubt themselves. You start asking yourself if you're good enough, worrying about what others will think of your writing, and you may want to just stop writing for at least five years. You just have to remind yourself that someone somewhere is waiting for your story to be written, and above all: you rock.
9. How do you make something relatable if you can't even relate to it?
To be honest, this is one of the hardest things for me to do personally. I was always told to write what you know, but what do you do if you have not experienced the thing you are writing about? For example, it's hard to write about a trip to Paris if you have never experienced Paris for yourself. And it's hard to portray a character who is suffering from a great loss if you haven't lost an important person to you. This is why research (and "makin' that stuff up") is a writer's best friend.
10. Another necessary evil, but slightly more evil: Editing.
You finally finish writing, but don't celebrate yet. This battle is not won yet. Now you must edit and revise! Editing is also known as the process in which you read everything you've written, fixing minor details and issues here and there. So, basically re-writing a lot because let's face it... You probably had more than just a few minor issues.
11. Is it finally over?
A big struggle writer's face is figuring out what to do when they're finally done writing. You've finished and at first you're really happy that it's all over with, but now you're thinking: "What do I do now?" The answer to that is: start all over.
Writing is obviously not a walk in the park. I encountered many of these problems just while writing this article. However, if you're doing what you enjoy doing, every obstacle is worth it. Even if writing comes easily to you, you've probably faced at least one of these struggles. If writers stopped writing every time they doubted themselves, we wouldn't have the books, articles, and other writings that we love today. You don't write because it's an easy thing to do. You write because you have something to say.
