7 Common Creative Writing Challenges & How to Overcome Them

All writers, whether a bestselling author, famous poet, or first-time writing novice, will be faced with the challenges and pitfalls of the writing process.

Writers, as a rule, are in a constant battle to overcome a part of themselves that tries to stop them from writing.

The natural resistance to creative writing can present itself in a multitude of fashions. Here are the seven most common barriers to creative writing — and how you can overcome them.

1. Self-Doubt

Many times the biggest challenge to overcome when attempting any project is ourselves. This is no truer than with the craft of creative writing. 

You sit down to write or to plan your writing. Suddenly there’s a small voice in your head that says, “You are not good enough” or “No one would want to read what you write.” It tries to play these doubts over and over. 

Maybe it’s the voice of your high school teacher who gave you that D- on your essay in English Lit. Perhaps it’s a friend that you dared show your poetry to, who told you it was no good.

Whatever the case, getting over your own self-doubt, that negative record playing in your head, is your first step.

Roy. T. Bennett, the author of The Light in the Heart, said we should believe in our infinite potential, and that our only limitations are those we set on ourselves. 

2. Creativity Efficiency

Now that you believe you can write, the next big hurdle to overcome may be lack of creativity. Some of the greatest, most creative people in history have struggled with this same thing.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul." So creative writing should be easy, right?

Unfortunately, creativity isn’t a resource that’s always available on demand. What do you do if you’re just not feeling it? Here are some ideas to help.

Be inspired by other creators

Renowned producer Rick Rubin said to submerge yourself in the greatest works of all time — and of all mediums. Looking at great art, watching an inspiring movie, and reading a meaningful poem or novel all helped him write better songs.

Sometimes just brainstorming with other writers can spark your creativity.

Go outside

Another helpful trick is to get out. There is nothing more inspiring than the sounds of a summer night sitting under the stars. Possibly you prefer a walk on the beach or hike in the mountains. Perhaps you like to visit your local art museum or botanical garden. 

Depending on where you live there are many beautiful things in nature that can spark your creativity.

Get together with other authors

There is nothing like getting together over coffee with a friend or family member. What about other authors? There’s sometimes no better way to get those creative juices flowing when you’re struggling than to get together with another writer to workshop, brainstorm, or talk about the craft.

In the era of social distancing, video conferencing apps let writers meet “face to face” regardless of their area’s COVID-19 restrictions. And some sites will let you create a profile and connect with other writers.

Sometimes the best thing to do to get a new perspective is to go back to the basics. Writing workshops and writers retreats can reinvigorate your passion for writing and spark new ideas you haven’t tried before.

Creativity is a multi-disciplinary fuel. If you’re running low on creativity, give these inspiration-driven approaches a try. If nothing else, you’re sure to have fun!

3. Writer’s Block

Just because you’re a writer, it doesn’t mean writing always comes easy. In fact, sometimes it feels like the exact opposite. The sight of a blank, white screen with a blinking cursor can evaporate your motivation and derail your best intentions.

It seems that all writers occasionally suffer from BPS—Blank Page Syndrome.

There’s no tried and true solution to writer’s block, but there are some tricks that may help.

Creative writing prompts can be your best friend when it comes to breaking out of writer's block. They can spark story ideas and be a great solution to the anxiety writers face when they don't know what to write.

Go on a short walk or nature hike. In addition to sparking creativity, getting outside can clear your mind so ideas can grow.

Some people like to do aerobics or lift weights. Getting the blood pumping means more circulation to the brain. What a great way to get ideas rolling!

Perhaps exercise is not your thing. Some writers live for the morning joe. Caffeine or even chocolate could fit this bill. Both of these natural treats release endorphins that make you feel good and relaxed. It’s a great combination for waking up the creative side of your brain.

If no amount of effort is getting you unstuck, pick up your writing in a different place in your story or try to reverse engineer whatever it is you’re writing. See if you can get the words out a different way, perhaps by speaking out your ideas with a voice-to-type microphone.

“There are no miracles here,” author Lisa de Nikolits explained in her article about tried and true writing tips. “The book will not write itself. Gold miners didn’t sit under a shady tree manifesting their nuggets. They got out there and dug. Writing hurts. Writing is hard work.”

4. Inconsistency

The phrase “practice makes perfect” is seldom more true than when it comes to writing.

Malcolm Gladwell, the author of The Power of Positive Thinking, said, “Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good.” 

All those who aspire to achieve greatness in their craft spend time practicing.

It is said that the famous basketball player, Larry Bird, shot 500 free throws every day just to make sure he was ready for the game.

In order to really get in some good practice, you need to stay consistent at all costs.

If you’re a writer, why not make the act of writing more central to your life? Why not stay consistent?

Many of the literary greats were productivity monsters. Voltaire worked for up to 20 hours a day, staying fueled with up to 50 cups of chocolatey coffee. William Faulkner was said to write 10,000 words a day in a 12-hour session.

Now granted, the goals of Faulkner and Voltaire aren’t exactly attainable for most writers today with all the other demands put on them. For most people, smaller goals toward a consistent writing habit would probably work better.

Could you commit to writing 1,000 words every morning, perhaps instead of scrolling on your phone? Could you commit to clocking in a solid hour of typing at your favorite coffee shop each day, or in the evening before bed?

These are just a few of the many viable strategies for improving consistency. But if you are truly committed to your writing, you will need to pick something that keeps you consistent.

5. Apathy

With all this practice we’ve been talking about, it’s possible that boredom might creep up.

If it happens to you, don’t worry. Try writing in a different genre or in a different tone. If you normally write in third person, try writing in first person.

Binge writing is one sure way to become complacent. Not writing for days and then making yourself sit down for hours is a recipe for disaster.

Maybe you are writing fiction and it’s time to try a new niche. The same could apply to poems and blogs as well. Sometimes you need to shake things up and have a little fun.

Try seeing how much content you can pack into each project. Can you craft a captivating tale with less than 300 words? Could you write a poem with less than 100 words? Think how fun it could be to submit a few poems a week to different contests.

6. Concentration [or Lack Thereof]

Staying focused takes discipline and commitment. Full-time writers have the blessing of being able to work from anywhere. But we also have the curse of having to work on the very same device that offers us Netflix, YouTube, social media, and a nearly endless supply of other distractions.

On top of that, family and friends always seem to interrupt at inopportune times. 

Try turning off your phone or at least putting it in another room. If your goal is a dedicated hour, set a timer to know when you can stop. If a word count is your goal, try for 500 or 1,000 words per sitting. Tracking these goals can help you stay focused.

You may need to do some experimentation to see what approach is right for maximizing your focus.

7. Resistance to the End

One of the most difficult things about writing is the end game. You’ve finished a great first draft of a novel or short story. Now what? Or you’ve poured your heart into that epic poem. What do you do with it?

Editing, getting a cover designed, publishing, or submitting can be overwhelming.

An AI-powered grammar checker can be a useful tool and do some of the heavy mental lifting for you.

Tools can be helpful, but they should always be secondary to your writing flow. Prioritize your creative mindset at all costs. It will help carry you to the end goal and overcome the challenges of creative writing.

The Final Word

Overcoming common writing challenges may not always be easy. But you can do it, and the suggestions above can help. By restructuring your life around your writing goals and keeping a healthy daily writing habit, you can set yourself up for creative writing success.