We surveyed writers about their struggles: Here's what they said
Whatever challenges you're facing in your writing journey, you're not alone. We recently surveyed the Scribe Forge community to find out what some of the biggest writing struggles are, and one thing is clear: many writers share the same difficulties.
We break down the five most common ones.
Writing challenge #1: Plot, pacing, and story structure
The majority of you say you struggle with keeping your story interesting through the middle and ensuring that your plot structure is sound. But that's not all. Many of you also find it challenging to weave together your worldbuilding, characters, and ideas into a cohesive, page-turning narrative without overwhelming readers with too much information.
Writing challenge #2: Motivation and time
The pain of balancing life and writing is real. A majority of you struggle with focus, motivation, and just plain finding time to write when you have day jobs, families, and other commitments.
When life demands so much of us and the world is full of distractions, finding the time and energy for creativity is difficult. If you struggle with this, you're not the only one!
The good news is that if you face this challenge, you can still finish your books and publish them. Almost every writer has been there, including the published authors on the Scribe Forge team.
Writing challenge #3: Revision and editing
Revision and editing can be tricky when we're often blind to our own...well, blindspots. You're so close to the story that you can't see its flaws. Turning a messy first draft into gold can be overwhelming. Many of you struggle with knowing where to start.
Finding critique partners who are supportive and give constructive criticism is also a common challenge.
Writing challenge #4: The mechanics of writing
Dialogue, descriptions, style, show vs. tell, and even grammar. The mechanics of translating the amazing ideas and scenes in your head into words on a screen is hard even for the most seasoned writer. Many of you said you'd like more guidance in developing your skills in the nitty-gritty of writing.
Writing challenge #5: Publishing
The final goal of writing a book is one of the most confusing. A third of you have questions about traditional and indie publishing. Answers can be hard to find.
The writers on the Scribe Forge team are indie-published (aka self-published). If you have questions about self-publishing, email us (scribeforgebooks@gmail.com) with your questions. We'll put together a free FAQ for you.
What now?
Now, we try to help you with some of the most common challenges.
Creativity and storytelling are deeply human endeavors. It's part of who we are.
But it's not always easy. One reason for this is that nobody teaches us the elements of good books or the ways to turn our thoughts into stories that others will also love.
Our team is going to plan new tools based on your survey responses! The next blog posts, guides, and workbooks will most likely be about plotting and revision.
We're also looking into creating a community for writers to support and learn from each other and maybe hosting a Q&A on self-publishing.
Stay tuned for updates as we start building new tools to help you reach your writing dreams.