4 answers
Hope
Student
Grundy Center, Iowa
6
Questions
Asked
556 views
What is the most difficult part about being a writer?
#writing #author
Login to comment
4 answers
Fernando Iriarte
Freelance Writer & Editor
153
Answers
Puerto Rico
Updated
Fernando’s Answer
For me it's sometimes having an overload of ideas and not knowing where to start. A good thing to do is to write them down and see which ones grab your attention the most. Don't try to force all your ideas into a single story, instead see which ones blend together the best and save the others for another story. One other hurtle I tend to deal with is motivation to sit down and write. Anxieties mixed with an overload of ideas can often lead you to just not knowing where to start, but also cause you to just freeze up when it comes time to write. For this take a step back, give yourself room to breath and then write. Once you start writing you'll find that it's hard to stop.
angie azur
Writer | Artist | Death Doula | Yoga | Meditation | Psychology | Philosophy
78
Answers
Weaverville, NC
Updated
angie’s Answer
Hello, Hope!
Well, for me the most difficult part of being a writer is keeping to my integrity and my voice. I’ve learned that if I allow others to read my chapters before they’re ready, I am easily knocked off my voice or I change the story to please them. I listen to other’s advice over my integrity of story or the character’s voice. So, my best advice for you is to write your story - all the way through - without letting anyone read it. Then revise it as per you, not anyone else’s ideas. Once you do that, you are ready for a beta reader and ready for other’s input and critique. But get the whole thing down and out of your system first. Just write it! Don’t worry about vocabulary, or spelling or anything — write the story, write the character the way the character is talking to you….
Write! Write! Write! Get a schedule so you write.
Read! Read! Read! Read great works….remember garbage in, garbage out. If you’re reading great books or great writings from great authors, your writing will improve. If you read junk…then your writing will sink to that level. **I used to work for a literary agency where I read the slush pile….and my writing got worse because I was reading bad writing most of the day.**
Great question….keep writing!
Angie
Well, for me the most difficult part of being a writer is keeping to my integrity and my voice. I’ve learned that if I allow others to read my chapters before they’re ready, I am easily knocked off my voice or I change the story to please them. I listen to other’s advice over my integrity of story or the character’s voice. So, my best advice for you is to write your story - all the way through - without letting anyone read it. Then revise it as per you, not anyone else’s ideas. Once you do that, you are ready for a beta reader and ready for other’s input and critique. But get the whole thing down and out of your system first. Just write it! Don’t worry about vocabulary, or spelling or anything — write the story, write the character the way the character is talking to you….
Write! Write! Write! Get a schedule so you write.
Read! Read! Read! Read great works….remember garbage in, garbage out. If you’re reading great books or great writings from great authors, your writing will improve. If you read junk…then your writing will sink to that level. **I used to work for a literary agency where I read the slush pile….and my writing got worse because I was reading bad writing most of the day.**
Great question….keep writing!
Angie
Barry Silverstein
Author, Blogger, Writer
6
Answers
Asheville, North Carolina
Updated
Barry’s Answer
Hello Hope,
There are a number of challenges to being a writer, so it isn't easy to identify the "most difficult" one. Here are a few that come to mind:
1. Finding your own voice.
As a beginning writer, you often tend to copy styles of writing from others that appeal to you. As you gain experience, you "find your own voice" and adopt a style that most represents you.
2. Understanding the process.
Depending on what you are writing, you may need to do research, compile facts and opinions of others, create an outline, write drafts and finalize your work. This can be a complex and at times frustrating process.
3. Being alone.
One difficult part of being a writer is that it is generally a very solitary craft. Writing takes a lot of personal time, and more often than not, you are doing it alone. You will, of course, get input from others, but you will need and probably want to be alone when you write. That will take some getting used to since you are spending quite a bit of time "with yourself."
I hope this helps you.
There are a number of challenges to being a writer, so it isn't easy to identify the "most difficult" one. Here are a few that come to mind:
1. Finding your own voice.
As a beginning writer, you often tend to copy styles of writing from others that appeal to you. As you gain experience, you "find your own voice" and adopt a style that most represents you.
2. Understanding the process.
Depending on what you are writing, you may need to do research, compile facts and opinions of others, create an outline, write drafts and finalize your work. This can be a complex and at times frustrating process.
3. Being alone.
One difficult part of being a writer is that it is generally a very solitary craft. Writing takes a lot of personal time, and more often than not, you are doing it alone. You will, of course, get input from others, but you will need and probably want to be alone when you write. That will take some getting used to since you are spending quite a bit of time "with yourself."
I hope this helps you.
Larry Brown
Retired Project Mgr. / Author / Musician
12
Answers
Bunker Hill, West Virginia
Updated
Larry’s Answer
Writing is a solitary craft, therefore you exist without much feedback on how you're doing. Once you complete your first draft it's good to get editorial feedback that will help you refine your work. Eventually, you'll be face with showing your work to publishers and/or the public. That's going to take courage and that is what I find to be the most difficult part of being a writer. Good luck to you.