Writers Who Have Trouble Writing

One of the women in my online writing group subbed a new piece recently. She said she was having a problem because she had too much information to put in the article, and besides that, she thought the beginning was lame, the ending was lame, and maybe it all didn't make sense. She sent it to the group hoping others might see where she can improve. 

It's also possible that those who critique her article will not see the problems she has fixated on. Writers read their own work subjectively while those who critique can be objective. This alone is one very good reason to belong to a critiquing group. 

The writer in question is a very good, often published writer, She is obviously having trouble writing this article. This brings me to the quote for today by Joseph Heller--"Every writer I know has trouble writing." 

That doesn't mean every writer has trouble writing every single story, essay, article, or poem they put their hand to. We all have trouble with parts of what we write; sometimes it's big problems with an entire piece. It's part of the writing world. If it all ran as smooth as rich cream, we'd all be famous and wealthy! Instead, we run into potholes and roadblocks along the way. 

Why do we continue? Because we are people who live to write; we have a passion for writing. We are willing to work through the problem areas to reach the satisfaction of a well-written finished piece. 

I look at those trouble spots as a challenge. They give me an incentive to rework those areas to go along with what turned out well to begin with. Remember the kids on the playground who dared you to do some silly thing? Didn't we always rise to the occasion and take the dare? (Almost always) Dare yourself to rework and finish a writing project.

When you hit the problem areas, sit back and ponder a bit. Remind yourself that you are not alone in getting hit with a piece not working out so well. Give it some time. Take a break of hours or days, then go back and look at it again. Sometimes, that's all that is needed. Other times, that burgeoning problem is still there for you to fix.

Take heart in the fact that having trouble writing is a part of the writing journey. You and every other writer hits that wall now and then. If you're true to your writing passion, you'll work it out and move on. 
 

When a Story Doesn't Work

Have you ever worked and reworked a story until you can hardly see straight? Until you're ready to explode with frustration? Until the words that fly from your mouth are not what your mother would appreciate? Until you just cannot carry on?

I am willing to bet that nearly every writer has had this kind of experience. I know I have and you most likely can say the same. Sometimes, the women in my online writing group will send a submission for critique writing something above it like "I have rewritten this over and over, and it still isn't right. Please help me fix it!" 

When we reach this stage, we can't see the errors any longer, or if we see them cannot come up with a solution. Our mind simply refuses to look at them in an objective way. If this happens to you, don't despair. All is not lost. You need to step away for a while. 

Not just hours, but maybe days. Let that story simmer on the back burner and move on to a new project, or even quit writing for a few days. I can almost guarantee that, even though you're not physically working on it, your mind is mulling it over. Be it consciously or subconsciously. You may find some answers to your problem by ignoring it. 

One more way out of the dilemma of being stuck in a story is to ask another writer to look at it. As I mentioned above, my writing group has been able to help writers who are struggling with a story. If you aren't in a writing group, ask a writer friend to look at your story. Someone else can look objectively while you cannot. Someone else might see the problem immediately while your vision is completely clouded on this particular story. 

When nothing works right in a story, know that it is time to step back and take a break. Be like the woman in our photo quote today. Find a beautiful place where you can be alone and let the answers come to you.