5 Biggest Obstacles To Publishing Success (And How To Overcome Them)

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5 Biggest Obstacles To Publishing Success (And How To Overcome Them)

Updated May 2023

As a writer, you will encounter BIG obstacles as you’re trying to reach your publishing goals. Everyone does. But you can use the tips below to help you find success in your writing career and beat the writing blues!

Writing Obstacle #1: Not enough time to write. Creativity is like a muscle, and professional writers are like professional athletes; both must exercise their muscles every day to stay on top of their game. Many writers have responsibilities outside of their creative pursuits, especially early-career writers. But it’s important to stay focused and determined, even if that means only writing one page a day. Here are some tips to help you Make More Time To Write.

Writing Obstacle #2: Writer’s block. At some point, most writers suffer from writer’s block. Blocks can come from any number of places:

· Self-doubt (I can’t do this so why am I trying?)

· Jealousy (How come she got a book deal when my book is better?)

· Procrastination (I don’t need to write today; I’ll write tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or next year…)

· Inability to feel inspiration (I know there are things to write about, I’m just not in the mood.)

· And more.

Each case of writer’s block will come from its own deep place, so you’ll need to do some soul searching to find the root of your particular difficulty. But know this: even when you have writer’s block, it’s your job as a serious writer to be “butt-in-the-chair” regardless of whether you’re writing or not.

So go ahead, have an hour-long staring match with your blinking cursor. Set a timer and vow to stay at your computer for at least twenty minutes a day. You may find that the ideas will flow simply by your presence in the (mental and physical) place where you write. Read more: Refilling Your Mental Gas Tank.

Writing Obstacle #3: Impatient attitude. Some writers get so obsessed with the idea of publishing something (anything! anywhere!) that the quality of work becomes less important than the speed at which it’s published. If you want to be a professional writer who has a good reputation and gets paid for his or her work, then settle into a mindset of deep patience. Without patience and determination, you may end up self-sabotaging, getting a reputation for low-quality writing/publications, and settling for less than you really want—and no one wants that! Read more: A Top Virtue For Creative Writers.

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Writing Obstacle #4: Not getting published. If you’re writing and writing, but you’re still not getting any acceptance letters, there are two specific things you can do to increase your odds.

1. First, you’ll want to double check your techniques. The way you can do this is by studying the techniques of your favorite writers and by joining a writing group or taking online classes.

2. Part two of your strategy is to be sure that the editors and literary agents that you’re sending your work to are the BEST people to read your work. If you don’t have time to do the necessary research that it takes to make strong submissions, Writer’s Relief can help you.

Writing Obstacle #5: Fear of rejection. Few of us enjoy getting rejection letters in the mail, but understanding that letters of response are NOT signs of failure is the first step toward making successful submissions. If you’re not getting rejections, you’re probably not making enough submissions.

By making many submissions regularly (our clients make 25+ submissions every two months), you take some of the sting out of receiving rejections. When you get used to the idea that a certain number of your submissions will be rejected, you’ll be better able to cope (and thrive!). Patience coupled with resilience is key. And learning to rejoice in rejection will give you the stamina you need to succeed!

At Writer’s Relief, we help our clients overcome ALL FIVE of the above obstacles. We give our clients more time to write AND keep their submissions circulating. We help our clients maintain a schedule of writing and making submissions, which forms good creative habits that stave off writer’s block and breed success. Plus, our warm, professional, and encouraging submission strategists are here to answer your questions and cheer you on!

Writers join our client list by invitation only, so submit your writing today! Our Review Board will be reading October 14-15, and then not again for two to four months! We welcome the opportunity to consider your work!

6 Comments

  1. Mariam Maarouf

    Great post! I agree on the concept – that those are the main five obstacles to publishing success.
    However, I personally don’t think ‘staring at the blinking cursor’ and forcing yourself to write can make you overcome writer’s block. For me, and a couple of other published authors, this just results in a decreasing quality of the writing, and we end up deleting whatever we’ve written later.
    Personally (again), I think the best way to overcome that block is to relax,try to forget there IS a problem and just take a break and the ‘gas tank’ will automatically refill with a NEW, and more creative type of ‘gas’.

    Reply
  2. Denise Shekerjian

    I remind myself, as experience has taught, that a lousy writing period, or even a no-writing period, will lead to something a whole lot better when you next take up the pen.

    Reply
  3. Sharon Olson

    As a writer-on-the-verge, I found this blog post incredibly helpful and encouraging. I find myself in the dredges of excuse-itis more often than I care to admit. I write but I don’t know where to submit. Or, I use the excuse that since I don’t know where to submit, I don’t write. This article felt like a rallying “call to arms,” or, rather, the pen, during a halftime in which I haven’t played my best game in the first half. Thank you!

    Onward and upward!

    Reply
    • Writers Relief Staff

      Sharon, Thank you so much for your comment. We are glad to know that our post affected you in such a positive way. Just remember that many games have been won in the second half! Use this “halftime” to recharge, and leave your excuse-itis behind! If you are having trouble with submissions, Writer’s Relief can help!

      Reply
  4. Karen Crider

    We get in the way of our own talent. To obsess about these things already puts us at a disadvantage.

    Reply
  5. Angela

    I have issues with all of these; 5 being the most bothersome. Each day gets better and when I do have good days my writing surprises me. Some actually commented that I was a good writer when I got the nerve up to her read my work. I almost believed her. This article will help me along. Thanks.

    Reply

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