Tag: Struggles

The Struggles of a Writer…

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Good morning… If you’re a writer you know some of the struggles of a writer. Maybe you’re not a writer and you ask what I’m speaking of, well here goes. As a writer you have many struggles and I’m listing just the top five.

  1. Time – A lot of writers aren’t full time. They work other jobs and have to fit their writing in between business meetings, job hours and family time. It’s a true struggle to meet deadlines and get everything else done. But as a writer, you strive to get that few minutes here and there to write. The story has to be told.
  2. Being seen – This is a real struggle in a market that is bursting at the seams with other writers just like you. You have to find the right niche, then make sure you stand out among the thousands, in some genres, millions of other books.
  3. Money – If you haven’t had that break out moment, then you’re having to pay for a lot of advertising and promoting. It’s a struggle when you spend more than what comes in.
  4. Reviews – Oh yeah, this is a struggle for traditional and indie authors. You don’t want to buy reviews, you want genuine, heartfelt reviews that draw in more readers. But more and more I hear fellow writers say it’s almost impossible to get their readers to post a review. Reviews help us authors build our reader base.
  5. Respect – Wow, this one is hard to gain. Most people look at you strangely when you say you’re a writer. Some even say, oh I can do that, but don’t have the time. Then they say, can’t you find a better way to spend your time, or you need to do something other than write. In my opinion those people don’t have a clue as to the draw of a writer to the writing. We have to do it.

So, do you feel the struggle?

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Struggle for Writing Time!

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Do you have a hard time finding quality writing time? Do you struggle for a few minutes a day to put your thoughts and stories on paper? Does life, career and just general everyday chores get in the way? Well, if you’re a writer, it’s a real possibility that this has happened to you.

For me it’s a constant struggle. If you’re not ready to be a full time writer, then of course you have a job which takes up a lot of your weekday time. Not all of us have the luxury of writing being our full time job. That would be nice, but most writers are inevitably part time writers. But can we even go as far as calling ourselves part time writers. Let’s get real with the numbers. If you have a part time job, then it’s considered less than 30 hours a week. Most of us, me included, get less than 10 hours a week to actually sit down and write.

Oh yeah, then you have the need for quality writing time. This is time when it’s just you and your writing. There’s no outside interruptions, just you and your laptop or pad and pen, whichever is your preference. 

Do we have the obedience to make the time happen everyday? Even if you have obedience, life can take over and throw that in the trash can. Let’s be truthful, it happens, so get over it. But, does it help to set aside time. Maybe even discuss it with family and state, “This is my writing time, so don’t interrupt me for an hour or so.” *Laughing uncontrollably* Sorry, but it doesn’t happen that way. 

For me I try to schedule my writing time in the mornings after my son gets on the bus and my hubby leaves for work. It’s quiet except for the news low in the background. I also write at night as the family watches television. That way they’re into what’s on the tube while I write away. Some people ask how I concentrate with the tv in the background, well, it’s called totally immersed in my manuscript. Most of the time when I’m totally into a piece, I can get lost completely. I shut out everything in the background and it’s as if I’ve entered my characters world. If I’m having concentration issues, I just put on head phones and listen to one of my playlists. I say one of them, because it’s according to what I’m writing that decides the playlist. I have several by the way. 

So, do you struggle for writing time? How do you set your times, or does life set it for you?

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

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