10 Writing Obstacles Every Writer Faces and how to beat them

Every writer is different, but the one thing that we all have in common is we face obstacles. They can slow us down and prevent us from doing what we love: writing.

So what do you do when you hit a brick wall? Do you go around, over, under, or through it? Well, here's a sledgehammer--let's tear down that brick wall!

In no specific order, here are what I think are the top 10 obstacles every writer faces.

Writer's Block. You're in the zone, typing away and you hit a snag. What do you write next? You sit there, staring at the wall, and for the life of you, you can't think of something to write. It happens. I've experienced writer's block. This is what I do... 1. I will take a break, sometimes that will free the mind. 2. I will read the last page with my fingers on the keyboard, ready to go. When I reach the last sentence, I'll begin typing without thinking. Sometimes, it's crap, sometimes it's not. The most important thing is to get the fingers typing and the story out. You can easily go back and edit if it doesn't work. 3. Sometimes, one word can lock me up, so I will search the definition of the word I want and that can unlock my mind. If it's not exactly the right word, I'll use a thesaurus and find similar words that mean the same thing. Once I've crossed that block, I keep going.
Finding the time to write. We live busy lives. And yes, struggling to write when there are kids in the house, a full-time job, and other distractions; it can be almost impossible to find time to write. But that's just in our heads. If you can write a little here and a little there, you can get an entire book written. It may take longer, but it CAN be done. Sometimes just rearranging things can give you more time to write. You do have to insert determination and willpower. When the kids go to bed, work on your story. Get up a couple of hours early before everyone wakes up and write then. If you're at work, write during your breaks. Get someone else to wash the dishes and write while they're busy. If you are determined enough, you can do anything--including finding time to write.
No money. This is a big one and one I face. Everyone wants to charge and most places aren't cheap. I've had to learn to do things myself. Sometimes, you can't do things yourself. Facebook and Instagram are great places to find people who are willing to do things in trade. Work out something with them if you need to. Things like editing is great for that. If you're able to, you can create the cover yourself. Google has amazing videos to show how it's done (YouTube is my favorite for that). The more covers you do, the better you can become. If you're a photographer, you can use your own pictures! You actually can write a book, get it edited, format the book, and create a stunning cover without spending a dime. You just have to do the research and learn. There are amazing people out there who will work in trade so don't be afraid to ask someone. When your book sells, save the proceeds and put it in a "book jar" to use it towards the next book. Marketing is harder but you can still do things that are "free" like using social media, talking to people live, and asking others to help spread the word.
Insecurities about being a writer is a big one. Believe me, you are worthy of sitting at the same table as Stephen King. It doesn't matter if your book is published or not. If you are writing, you are a writer. Don't give up. I've seen too many writers stop writing because they couldn't find a publisher or agent. You CAN publish the book yourself and still be a published author. We are all on different levels of life and in writing. So there is always going to be someone better, there is always going to be someone who has published more, and there is always going to be someone who knows more. And that's okay because their experience can help you. Ask questions and be eager to learn--always. One day, someone will ask you and you will have the experience they lack and need help with. So how do you get out of the slump? Remember, one word per day will get you closer to the story's end. Keep writing. If you take a day or two, or even a month off--you're still a writer. You don't have to write every single day. Breaks are as important as the work itself. It helps you mentally and you need good mental health just as much as physical health. Don't give up because that's the worst thing you can do.
You want to write a book but don't know where to begin. Just write. I knew nothing when I started, but I just sat down and began writing. Read books on writing too. One book, I can't remember the title, said that the first book you write/finish will never be published. That is a lie. Your first book can be crap and it's okay but with editing, that book can become something truly amazing. Keep at it. Don't throw it away because someday, that first book CAN be published. Never stop learning. Each book you write will be better. You can always go back and rewrite past books. There are no rules that say you can't. Even Stephen King did that. I think it was his third or fourth book that made it big. He went back and rewrote all of his books before that one and republished them. I saw his autobiography on I&E once. It was awesome watching that show because I learned a lot and was inspired by it. The name of the channel might be wrong lol.
No inspiration. You've written one or more books and now you can't find a story idea to begin the next one. It happens from time to time. There are websites you can visit that share writing prompts. There are even books that share prompts (one of my stories came from a book like that). Ideas cannot be copyrighted which is awesome. So keep reading. Something you've read can inspire a new twist on the idea and because you are different than the author who wrote that book, the path your idea takes will be different! So, don't be afraid to "borrow" ideas from other writers. The one time it isn't a good idea to do this is when a writer tells you about their idea to bounce it off someone. Give them a little respect and let them use the idea, but you can encourage them to write it. Another place where you can find inspiration is your daily life. Open your mind to the possibilities--listen to conversations (at a respectful distance), watch people in places like the mall or airport, music can bring inspiration, etc. Learn to listen to the "voices" around you and in nature.
Fear of the blank page. This can also be tied to writer's block and finding inspiration. But it also takes motivation. As an independent writer, you must motivate yourself because no one else will. So, just write. It doesn't have to be good--that comes later. Just get the story out. Begin with the first sentence. You can say, "It began in the dead of night." Whatever you want. Nothing is written in stone. I think we'd all be in trouble if it were lol. So don't focus on being perfect. Just write. Permit yourself to write crap. After the story is down, you can go back and make changes to improve it. That first sentence could end up being something different the third or fourth time around. But it wouldn't have changed if you didn't have the first one written--so just write.
Big distractions can be an obstacle. With cell phones, social networking, TV, life...we are surrounded by them. If you have a room you can devote to writing, you can close the door and put a sign on the door that says "writing, only come in if you're dying" or something like that. You can tell others that you are writing and don't want to be disturbed. You can turn off your phone or put it in a different room. If you don't have a designated area for writing, you will have to use willpower, but you can do it. You still may want to tell others that you are writing and they must leave you alone. Remind yourself that those chores can wait. If they bother you that much, get them done and then go write. Or you can schedule things around your life and then stick with it. Again, shutting off anything that you don't need (TV, phone, radio).
The idea is too narrow. This can be fun. I love the "What if" scenario for all things writing. It opens more doors when you ask yourself that one question. So, when you feel stuck with an idea that's too narrow or you don't have enough information to finish the story (or begin one), just ask yourself what if. You can also ask other writers for advice. We are a community and there are plenty of writers who are willing to help. This can help in almost every area of writing so if you don't belong to a group of writers, join one or two, or more. Become friends with other writers. They will lean on you as much as you lean on them and learn from each other. Plus, it's just more fun than being on your own.
You have written 100,000 words and the story has no ending in sight. Okay, first of all--that's amazing that you've been able to write a book that is that long. If you haven't discovered the ending yet, it's okay. Don't force it. It will come when it's time. If you have reached the ending and you feel the story is too long, you can break the story into a series. Or even a part one, part two type of book. Don't forget, that editing can always shorten your story--cutting out scenes that don't work can make a difference. So, don't panic if your story is too long or even too short. You can make up for it through editing. It is possible, that you did reach the ending too so go back and read through your story. Again, you can talk to other writers and get their feedback. It's okay that you're asking for help. It does NOT make you a bad writer. Not reaching out can be a mistake. Knowing when to ask makes you a better writer. It's how you learn. Remember, keep reading too because that can help you to spot when to end your story, depending on the genre. In mystery, the story ends as soon as you solve the mystery so if your sleuth or detective solved the case, the story is over.