Ways to Move Past Your Writing Obstacles (and See A Bright Future Ahead)

Ideas come…. and they could go somewhere else unless you put them into writing right away. 

The problem is, you find it hard to write them down. Why?

Writer’s block? Maybe. 

Not enough time? 

Can’t find the best way to express it? 

Or, are you having difficulty introducing the topic in a way that’s sharp enough to engage the reader?

Well, there could be many reasons why the writing process becomes more difficult than it should be. But, whatever it is that hinders you from finishing that one great blog post or any writing task, there is certainly a way out of it.

News flash: I have here a list of different writing obstacles and ways on how to obliterate each of them!

Keep reading.

Obstacle #1: Don’t know how to write the introduction.

Solution : Then, don’t start writing with your introduction! If you feel like you are ready to write other parts of the article except for the introduction, go ahead. Just keep writing. Once you have written some parts of the blog post, your introduction will become easier to write.

The paragraphs that you have written will give you a better “picture” that will help you come up with the right words to say. 

When you force yourself to always begin with an introduction, I’m afraid you’ll never be as productive as you want to be. 

What if the scenes or words that you already have in mind are worth writing in the middle or the ending part of the story, or your blog post?

So, if the introduction seems to be elusive, stop wasting your time chasing it. But, rather embrace what you have right in front of you. Write the words as they come. 

Then, decide later whether to have these as your introduction, the body or a part of your closing paragraph. 

Obstacle #2: Can’t achieve the desired article length.

First, let me ask you. How much do you know about the topic? If you think you lack the knowledge to be able to come up with a decent blog post then do more research.

Read more articles, watch more videos and check out more social media posts about your topic. This way, you will have plenty of ideas, gathered from different platforms about the topic that you are trying to write. 

Sometimes, not knowing what to write is not brought about by writer’s block. It is caused by the writer’s lack of knowledge about the topic that he is writing for. 

Don’t pretend you know the topic well when you know you will only be relying on ChatGPT. Because your expertise will truly manifest in the way you write, however you write your piece. 

No matter how smart these AI tools are designed to be. Nothing can ever replace the human brain. So, muster up your diligence and conduct more and “real” research. 

But, if your struggle to come up with as many words you need is indeed caused by a writer’s block, then be sure to read this post titled “3 Science-Backed Ways to Conquer Writer's Block ”.

Obstacle #3: Having difficulty focusing.

Some people are so good at focusing on their task at hand. They can concentrate even when their environment is noisy or chaotic. But, if you’re among those who struggle to concentrate when writing, eliminate distractions. 

Distractions could come in two different types - online and offline. For me, offline distractions are much easier to eliminate than online distractions. 

For offline distractions such as noisy kids, roadside traffic and other people talking in the background can all be avoided. You just have to flee from all these and look for a quiet place. Or, you can go inside your room, lock your door and play that concentration music. 

However, online distractions can be more difficult to eliminate. One reason for this is the fact that sometimes it can be difficult to resist the urge to open that Instagram message or view that Facebook reel that your friend has just posted. 

The good news is that eliminating these distractions is possible. First, keep your smartphone away from you. Put it somewhere that will make it difficult for you to grab. Or, you can put it on silent mode. 

While working, make sure the tabs that are open are only those that are work related. 

Obstacle #4: Not enough time to start or finish the writing task.

If you know you have a hectic schedule ahead, consider breaking up your writing tasks into smaller chunks. This is when you set aside just 30 minutes or less for your writing tasks.

Aiming to write for just a few minutes in a day is better than not writing at all. Eliminate that “all or nothing” attitude and accept the fact that you can’t have the entire day or night for your writing tasks alone.

This is when being realistic needs to crush that idealistic mind of yours. If your ideal “an hour a day” goal doesn’t work because of a very tight work schedule, start being realistic and settle for a shorter time instead. The most important thing is to be consistent with your writing routine.

You have to do your best to be able to write everyday or at least five days a week. When you write daily, even if it’s just for a few minutes, you won’t lose track of your “ideas” and still see consistency and coherence in the paragraphs that you write.

On the contrary, if you only write once or twice in a week, your writing tasks can barely move forward. When you say you will only write when you have “plenty” of time, which I fear may happen only once or twice in a month (or not at all in ages), your writing tasks will remain forever in your to-do list. 

I have a blog post that discusses the ways on “How to Find Time for Writing (When You Only Have 24 Hours a Day)”

Obstacle #5: Insecurity about other writer’s level of productivity

Some writers struggle to achieve their desired level of writing productivity because they are too insecure about others. They just couldn’t resist comparing themselves to other writers. They keep wishing they possess other writer’s ability to focus and accomplish writing tasks. 

They keep trying their best to imitate somebody else’s writing routine and forget about their own way of completing their writing tasks. 

Before you start applying other people’s writing routine, ask yourself first the following questions:

“Is it applicable to your situation?” If not then no matter how effective such a routine the other writer claimed to be, it will never work the same way for you.

“Is it exactly how you want things to be done?” If not, then you are bound to have difficulty trying to do your thing using other people’s way. 

Remember that it is your writing task. So, do it your way and better be good at it. It is not entirely bad to imitate other writer’s writing process. However, if you find yourself struggling to make it work for you, then dismiss it.

If you think your own writing process is not effective, then think of a way on how you can make it more effective. Moreover, think about why it is not working in your favor. 

There are many types of writing obstacles that writers may experience every now and then. As a newbie writer, it could be hard to overcome some of these. But, just continue to write. Never allow these writing obstacles to stop you from achieving your dream, which is to become a full-fledged writer.