Reasons why you find it hard to write a book / novel

Many people have the dream of writing a novel, but what separates those who do it from those who don’t quite manage? Here are some of my ideas as to why you may be finding it hard to write your book / novel and then I will go into some advice on how to make it easier for yourself!

You’re thinking of it as a book when you are only in the drafting stage You’re new to writing / haven’t practice very much You’re not a novel reader You don’t know your characters well enough You’re afraid it won’t be good enough so you’re already not on your own side You’re distracted by other people, your phone, television, and other things that shouldn’t need your focus You’re doing it because you like to read but writing isn’t actually for youYou compare yourself to others You’re not good at organising your time You struggle to focus in general or especially on a project of this kind There’s nothing driving you to do it / you don’t truly want it badly enough You’re a starter, but a finisher You don’t know people/ how people think or their motivations Too many ideas pulling your attention Your life is busy right now You’re overthinking it You’re a perfectionist (and cling to that title as if it’s a good thing when in actuality it’s a hindrance) You’re thinking too much about form and doing things “properly”You think it will be quick or easy and when something is hard you shy away from it

Just to explain a few of these points. Writing a book/ novel is hard. No matter how many times you’ve done it before, you can still find it incredibly difficult. I find it difficult in some ways. Times when I feel like I want to give up. But there are some conditions that make writing a book harder for some than others, as listed above (and many more than I couldn’t think of).

If your life is chaotic, you will struggle to write. Writing requires dedicated time to sitting down and getting words out. It’s not all ideas and cool characters. You need to make it make sense! So if you’re busy, overworked and tired, or doing this on a whim but you’re not dedicated, then you will struggle with writing your novel.

A lot of people say they want to write a book but the fact is, most people won’t. I’m not saying that to toot my own horn, but it’s simply a fact. Because again, it’s hard to do. People often read great books or watch great things and think, well I have a story idea, I’m going to write my own! And that’s awesome! We definitely need more variety of voices and styles out there on the shelves, so please don’t be put off. However, ideas are just ideas. They are plenty. Everyone could come up with a story idea, and some of them will sound amazing! But I know for myself that ideas I think are cool, just don’t have “legs”. In that, they don’t have a story in them that works. Or at least, a story in them that I can find and I can make work. And that’s okay. So don’t think that having a cool idea is all it takes to write a book.

First a foremost, you need to understand characters aka PEOPLE! Characters are people; they should feel realistic and emotional and have wants and needs and backstories and fears and relationships and triggers and all the things we do. If your characters don’t, they will be “flat” and your story won’t work as well. You will struggle to know what to put them through because you won’t know who they are. The same is true if you just have an idea but don’t know anything about story structure or novels specifically. What you watch on tv is not the same as a novel. A novel can be episodic, sure, but there’s a difference in structure and expectations from the reader. Knowing stories well, dedicating time to practicing and learning and getting better, will make writing stories easier for you.

The biggest crippling factor is seeing your book as a book. A book is a product. A finished, final thing. Your STORY isn’t a BOOK yet. Thinking of it that way subconsciously makes you think it should fit a certain standard and be like other books. This isn’t helpful for you in the drafting stage. Drafts can and often will be super messy! It’s about getting the story out of your head so you have something to work with. Something to revise and make correct later. And remember that you will have a team of people to help you make that story into a book (a product worth selling) later. Your beta readers, editors, agent, publishing house, etc etc all play a role in a book being what it is in the end. Don’t think about this at this point in the creative drafting stage. Just write the thing however messily you need to.

Advice on how to make writing a book easier for you Remove unimportant things from your life and delegate where you can to free up some of your time and energy the write Treat it as a fun projectSee it as a story, not a bookPractice practice practice! Let yourself write bad stories and be okay with it Get feedback from trusted people Have a dedicated writing time (every morning first thing, every night after dinner etc) Craft a dedicated writing space so when you’re there, your mind gets into writing mode right away Set the mood – music, scents, no distractions, mood board, whatever stimulates your senses and sets the vibe of your story so you’re excited to write itHave your laptop, notebook or computer easily accessible so there’s less resistance to start and a constant reminder to get to work Tell people around you so they hold you accountable, respect your writing time, and cheer you on (I really hope you have at least one person who cares about you in this way) Read! Read! Read! – and take notes on what you did or didn’t like, what you’ve noticed as patterns in novels, why characters work well Use spare moments to just think and be in your story world so you’re always working on your story even when you’re not actively writing it Always have a notebook or note app available to jot down any and all ideas Don’t compare yourself to the books you read, your story is valid and has its place simply because you wrote it and all you need to worry about it getting it out of your head and onto the page

Remember that writing is hard but that doesn’t mean you’re not capable of doing it if you’re dedicated enough. Like with anything, mastery takes time, energy, and practice. When you fall, get back up and try again.

Good luck!

Sincerely,

S. xx