Your Biggest Writing Problems

[Charlotte Rains Dixon]

I just ran a contest about this on my blog. I really am interested in what people's biggest writing problems are. Do they mostly have to do with getting yourself to write, or craft issues?

[Marvin Double]

My biggest problem is quite practical - time. I'm deeply involved in internet marketing and I am a one man band. My day begins at 8 am and often runs to midnight. Between writing blog entries, creating ad copy, sales copy, marketing materials, ad, writing articles, forum posts, not to mention email and all the other assorted writing chores it can be quite a grind.

Aside from just writing I also create my own original graphics and take many of the photographs which I use online.

I know that I'm not the only one out there who finds that there don't seem to be enough hours to get it all done. It make me tired just thinking about it.

[Mckay K]

My biggest writing problem is staying focus and on topic.

[Grace]

I think finding the right focus is most difficult. What angle to approach a specific topic would be most interesting or most educational? Always have ideas meandering in the brain. Picking just one sometimes has it's challenges.

[Cindy Ricardo]

Wow! What a question! Do you have 6 hours to listen to my biggest writing problems? (just kidding!)

Here is a list of some of them:

1. Writers block...I look at the blank page, full of frustration because the words just won't come!
2. I finally write something down and spend the next hour criticizing, judging, rewriting, erasing....
3. Procrastination with a capital "P"...fear of success?
4. When I finally do write something down I am at times afraid to show it to the world! What if's take residence in my brain and torment me for the rest of the day!
5. Even when I am told I am a great writer, I always can find some way to dismiss the praise!
6. I can write really well when I am not under pressure, or know no one will see it...but that kind of defeats the purpose of wanting to share with others!
7. I could probably add about 50 more but I think I will stop for now~!

I have gotten better over the past few years as I help others with life problems and part of the way I do this is by writing articles, blogging, publishing to my website and out there on the web. I still encounter some of these...but I know I am not alone so that makes me feel supported.

Thanks for the question!

[Lindsay Price]

The division between work life and living life can be hard. I work at home and the only boss is me. If I don't do the work, it doesn't get done. And there's always something to be done. Always. It's hard to feel ok about stepping away from the computer, to stop work at 5:00 some days like a normal person does. Occasionally, I wish I had the type of job where when I walk away from the desk the job is behind me and I don't have to think about it. I wish for real weekends and real vacations. But mostly I don't. Because I love my job, I love writing and I love working at home. I love my world and it's not coal mining. At all.

[Erin]

lack of topics and lack of people to write things for are my two biggest problems.

[Jodi Cleghorn]

My biggest problem is time. As a full time Mum there is never enough time to devote to my writing. also mourn the time that I don't have, once I have fulfilled all my weekly writing committments, to get lost in fiction.

My second greatest problem feeds into the first and that is PROCRASTINATION. The internet is my worst waste of time and sadly also my best friend. Catch 22!

I recently read an interesting theory that artists' procrastination is actually just fear manifesting. So I guess my other great problem is FEAR .. mostly of the unknown - of where my writing has the ability to take me, change me, evolve me!

[Désirée]

My biggest problem is that I don't have time when I want to have it. I can get ideas when there is not an option to write it down. I am learning to invite my creative flow when I have my slot to write and it is working pretty well. But still, I wouldn't mind to take a break from reality when inspiration comes for an unexpected visit.

[Désirée]

And of course not be interrupted all the time. Kids have that habit, and that right, but still, I wouldn't mind to be able to finish a thought and a sentence sometimes.

[Secret forest]

My biggest problem is the plot and the lack of stories. But I think there’s always something good in a writing problem. For me it’s important to overcome difficulties. I could’nt write without trials and errors!
(I hope you’ll excuse my English, it’s not my native language.)

[Glynis Smy]

I think mine are distractions and fear. The fear that I will spend time writing my novel and get nowhere. The distractions to hide away from the fear LOL
I love my writing moments, but realise I am rusty when it comes to the classroom verbs!