My 10 Biggest Writing Struggles — WNP 099
*NOTE: This episode originally appeared on www.sarahwerner.com on November 4, 2020.
What do you struggle with most as a writer? Focusing? Spelling? Feeling like you’re good or smart or dedicated enough? We all struggle with something — it’s part of the creative process.
But while those struggles will get in your way, they don’t have to hold you back forever.
Today I’m talking about my 10 biggest creative struggles, some of which may resonate with you, and some of which may not. Either way, it is my hope that sharing them with you will help you realize that you’re not alone, and encourage you to see and move past your own struggles as a writer.
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My Top 10 Struggles
Ready? Here they are…
- Thinking I need to rely on anything outside of myself to write — such as coffee, chocolate, a certain candle burning, or perfect silence.
- Thinking that I’m a terrible writer, or that I’ve lost my ability to write (a.k.a., Imposter Syndrome).
- Remembering that writing is a fun, fulfilling, and joyful activity — and that I am allowed to enjoy my life.
- Sitting still and focusing on my work, and not giving in to distraction.
- Numbing or escaping the painful aspects of the creative process.
- Reconciling the shift from writing as a hobby to writing as a necessary source of income.
- Setting realistic and appropriate expectations — and knowing how and where to set them.
- Finishing what I start.
- Discerning which opportunities to take and which to decline.
- The fine line between wanting to be held accountable by other writers — vs. using other writers’ expectations and feedback as a crutch.
What Do We Do With These Struggles?
These struggles can be difficult to deal with, but they can be overcome — or at least mitigated. We have to acknowledge the realistic outside impacts, how to release the things that are negatively impacting us, and acting on the more positive impacts to better support ourselves and our creativity.
Let Go Of The Negative Factors
No matter where you are in the world, or what you create, whether it is a written piece of art or some other form of creation, you will find yourself being affected by outside factors beyond our control.
These outside factors may include environmental elements (such as the temperature of your environment has to warm, but not too hot, with a cup of coffee, birds chirping, with a slight scent of jasmine that calms our minds space to be able to allow our creative flows to begin).
It would be nice if the conditions were perfect, but… as you probably know from experience, they seldom are. What is important is that we minimize the negative and allow ourselves to move forward.
Replace With Positive Impacts
We have to release those negative impacts that we have allowed to stick around and determine our worth of ourselves and our creations. We also have to let go of our pre-made expectations. By doing this, we can let go of that inner Editor who continues judging, correcting, or simply telling us that our work is not good enough.
We have to be purposeful in focusing on the things that bring us joy and happiness in our creative journeys. These things help refuel us. These steps help our creative flow, well, flow more. This allows the space for our flow to grow.
This also allows us to create in any environment, and for our confidence to shift our thought processes from “I’m not good enough,” to “I can write this and have fun doing it”.
Be Purposeful In Your Growth
Now it is time to act, to be purposeful, and to stop making excuses to not write. You know what the excuses are, and while they may be reasonable, they are still excuses. Prioritize your time, prioritize your fulfillment, and prioritize growing your flow. You have to feed and water it as well.
Devote time to work on your craft, on your season, and do not take on things that do not serve you and your ultimate purpose. It is easy to get distracted by instant gratification. It is also easy to get caught up in the accountability pulled from others, or relying on others to make you feel important, needed, and to provide you with encouragement. Prioritize your “yes”es, your “no”s, and the opportunities that truly serve you in your season.
Taking accountability for our own creative journeys, accepting that none is the same, just as our own fingerprints can help us better support our own creativity. It can help us gain more confidence in our writing, in our worlds, that no one else can see. At least until it is on paper and available for the world to see.
Open yourself up to release the negative impacts, to breathe and take in the positive impacts, and build a better support system for ourselves, for our journey, because we are absolutely enough to create!
What Do You Think?
Do any of my 10 biggest writing struggles resonate with you? If so, how do you deal with them? And if not, what are your own unique struggles? Let us know in the comments below!
Originally published at www.sarahwerner.com on November 4, 2020.
