So You Want to Be a Famous Writer? 15 Challenges You’ll Face on the Path to Publication

The Perils and Pitfalls of Penning Your First Masterpiece (and Why It’s Totally Worth It)

So, you’ve decided to write a book. Congratulations and welcome to the writing community! You’ve chosen a path that combines the soul-crushing despair of self-doubt with the thrilling ecstasy of a perfectly crafted sentence—usually separated by about three weeks of staring at a blank screen.

Writing is often romanticised as a solitary, introspective activity—one where you’re churning out innumerable pages of brilliance in the soft glow of a desk lamp. In reality, it’s more like wrestling with an invisible foe while your inner critic heckles from the sidelines. As a new writer, you’ll encounter struggles that make you question your sanity, your talent, and possibly even your life choices. But fear not, fellow scribbler! Every author, from the novice to the seasoned pro, has faced these same challenges. The good news? They survived, and so will you.

In this article, we’re diving into 15 of the most common struggles new writers face. From the endless battle to find your voice to the gut-wrenching fear of rejection, we’ll explore each hurdle with a healthy dose of humour and some practical advice.

As a novice writer, you are going to struggle to:

1. Finding Your Own Voice

Struggle: Many new writers are desperate to find their own “voice,” that elusive element that supposedly makes their writing unique. It’s like hunting for the Holy Grail, except instead of a cup, you’re looking for a metaphor that isn’t a cliché.
Why: The problem is, in the beginning, most writers are more parrot than poet. You’ve read the greats, and suddenly every sentence you write sounds suspiciously like something stolen from Hemingway, Austen, or whichever author you last binge-read. Developing your own voice means wriggling out of the literary skins you’ve been trying on and figuring out how you, just you, would tell the story. Spoiler alert: it takes time and a lot of awkward, cringe-worthy drafts.

2. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Struggle: Eh oui, imposter syndrome—the shadowy companion of every creative effort. You’re just not a good enough writer; you’re a fraud, a time-waster, a charlatan devoid of any skill! It’s only a matter of time before someone notices your complete lack of talent and barrs your access to the writing community.
Why: Writing is personal, which means every word you type is a little piece of your soul on display. And let’s be honest, what if your soul is, you know, kind of boring? It’s natural to doubt yourself when you’re pouring your innermost thoughts onto the page and then staring at them, wondering why anyone would want to read this nonsense. Keep writing anyway, despite the gnawing suspicion that you’re a literary con artist.

3. Learning about Plotting and Structure

Struggle: Plotting is like assembling IKEA furniture. You start with enthusiasm, confident that you’ve got this, but soon enough, you’re surrounded by scattered ideas, a confusing set of instructions, and a growing sense that something important is missing.
Why: New writers often struggle to keep their stories on track. It’s easy to wander down narrative dead-ends, get tangled in subplots, or discover that your climax is more of a dead-in-the-water anti-climax. Structure is supposed to be the scaffolding that holds your story up, but for many beginners, it feels more like a straitjacket that stifles creativity. The challenge is learning how to use structure to your advantage without it suffocating your writing attempts—and without losing your will to live.

4. Writing Consistently and Remaining Disciplined

Struggle: Writing consistently is like going to the gym: everyone knows they should do it, but somehow, Netflix always interferes. The dream is to be that disciplined writer who churns out 2,000 words a day. The reality? A sporadic sprint that leaves you breathless and questioning your life choices.
Why: Discipline is the difference between a finished manuscript and a pile of half-baked ideas. New writers often romanticize the writing process, imagining inspiration as a constant companion. But inspiration is more like that unreliable friend who never shows up when you need them. The real work happens on the days when you’d rather do literally anything else. Developing a consistent routine is about embracing the grind and accepting that some days, writing feels less like art and more like trying to wring out a dry sponge.

5. Overcoming Writer’s Block

Struggle: Writer’s block is the bogeyman of the literary world—an invisible, malevolent force that saps your creativity and leaves you staring at a blinking cursor for hours on end. It’s like your brain has gone on strike, and all you can do is wait for it to start working again.
Why: Writer’s block isn’t just a lack of ideas; it’s a paralyzing fear that whatever you write will be terrible, so why bother? This fear can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, turning a temporary dry spell into a full-blown drought. The good news is that writer’s block is neither fatal nor permanent—though it can feel like it is. Keep writing, even if it’s terrible, trusting that eventually, the words will start flowing again. Or, if all else fails, bribe your muse with coffee and chocolate. It can’t hurt.

6. Editing and Revising with Speed and Efficiency

Struggle: Editing is like cleaning up after a wild party—you know it has to be done, but the mess is overwhelming, and the prevalent stench of stale creativity is enough to knock you unconscious. Revising? That’s when you realise the party wasn’t as fun as you thought, and you start wondering why you ever thought a literary rave was a good idea.
Why: New writers often confuse editing with proofreading, thinking it’s all about catching typos and fixing grammar. But real editing is a brutal process of tearing your work apart and putting it back together again. It’s killing your darlings, cutting the fluff, and sometimes, rewriting entire sections until you’re left with something that resembles a coherent narrative. The good news? Once you’ve survived a few rounds of editing, you might actually start to enjoy it. Or at least tolerate it with a vitamin-rich smoothie in hand.

7. Receiving and Handling Criticism

Struggle: Receiving criticism on your writing is like getting feedback on your appearance: even if it’s constructive, it still stings. “Your protagonist feels a bit flat,” translates to, “Your baby is ugly,” and suddenly, you’re questioning all your whole book’s content.
Why: Feedback is essential for growth, but it’s also tough to hear that your carefully crafted story isn’t perfect. The trick is to develop a thick skin—not so thick that you become immune to feedback, but thick enough to stop you from spiralling into a pit of despair every time someone suggests a constructive change. Remember, criticism isn’t necessarily an attack; it could be an opportunity to improve. And if all else fails, just remind yourself that even the greats got rejected at some point.

8. Mastering Character Development

Struggle: Creating complex, believable characters is like being a puppet master—except your puppets are stubborn, unpredictable, and occasionally try to murder each other. And let’s not even talk about how they refuse to follow your carefully laid plans.
Why: New writers often struggle to breathe life into their characters, ending up with one-dimensional cardboard cutouts instead of living, breathing people. The problem is, flat characters can make even the most thrilling plot collapse, as well. Developing your characters means digging deep into their motivations, flaws, and desires, even if it means they start taking over the story. Because, let’s face it, the best characters have a mind of their own—and that’s when the real creative writing fun begins.

9. Addressing Your Fear of Rejection

Struggle: Submitting your work to agents, publishers, or even just a critique group is like standing naked in the middle of a crowded room and asking everyone what they think of your outfit. The fear of rejection is real, and it’s as terrifying as it is inevitable.
Why: Rejection is a rite of passage for every writer, but knowing that doesn’t make it any easier when that form letter lands in your inbox. The key is to remember that rejection isn’t personal. It’s not a reflection of your worth as a writer—or as a human being (though it might feel that way). It’s just one step in the long, winding road to success. And who knows? Maybe the next submission will be the one that changes everything. Or at least that’s what you tell yourself to keep from throwing your laptop out the window.

10. Balancing Show vs. Tell

Struggle: “Show, don’t tell” is the mantra hammered into every writer’s brain, but actually pulling it off? Easier said than done. It’s like being told to paint a masterpiece without ever touching a paintbrush.
Why: New writers often struggle to strike the right balance between showing action and emotions and simply telling the reader what’s happening. Too much telling can make your story feel like a bland summary, but too much showing can bog it down with unnecessary details. The trick is to use both techniques in harmony, like a literary seesaw. And if you’re really stuck, just remember: sometimes, it’s okay to tell. Not every moment needs to be a cinematic experience—sometimes, you just need to get to the point.

11. Managing Expectations

Struggle: Most new writers start with grand expectations: fame, fortune, and a Pulitzer Prize by the end of the year. Reality, however, has other plans, and they usually involve a lot of unpaid bills and a persistent sense of inadequacy.
Why: Writing is a marathon, not a sprint, but new writers often expect to see results—whether it’s finishing a novel or landing a publishing deal—far sooner than is realistic. The key to managing expectations is to focus on the process rather than the outcome. Celebrate the small victories, like finishing a chapter or surviving a particularly brutal round of edits. And remember, the overnight success stories you hear about are usually a decade in the making. So, pace yourself, and maybe lower the bar just a smidge.

12. Avoiding Overwriting and Overthinking

Struggle: Overwriting is the literary equivalent of packing for a weekend trip and bringing five suitcases. Every new writer goes through a phase where they try to cram every adjective, adverb, and metaphor they know into a single sentence.
Why: It’s tempting to show off your vocabulary, but more often than not, it just makes your prose bloated and unreadable. Learning to write concisely is like learning to pack light: it’s hard at first, but eventually, you realize that less is more. It’s not about stripping your writing bare, but rather about making sure every word earns its place. Remember, if you want your readers to reach the end of your story, don’t weigh them down with unnecessary baggage.

13. Navigating the Publishing Process

Struggle: The publishing world is a labyrinth, and somewhere in the middle is your manuscript, gathering dust while you try to figure out which turn to take next. Traditional publishing? Self-publishing? Hybrid? It’s enough to make you long for the days when all you had to worry about was writing the d*** thing.
Why: The publishing process is confusing, bureaucratic, and sometimes downright soul-crushing. New writers often get lost in the maze of query letters, book proposals, and formatting guidelines. And let’s not even get started on the waiting—the interminable waiting. The trick is to educate yourself about the industry without losing your sanity. Find a community of fellow writers who can offer advice, commiseration, and a commiserating shoulder to cry on when the rejection letters start rolling in.

14. Staying True to Your Vision

Struggle: Between the well-meaning advice of friends, feedback from critique partners, and the ever-present pressure to be “marketable,” staying true to your vision can feel like trying to navigate a minefield blindfolded.
Why: New writers often struggle to balance their creative instincts with external expectations. It’s easy to start second-guessing your choices, wondering if you should change this character or that plot point to please others. But at the end of the day, your story is yours, and staying true to your vision is what will make it unique. Sure, you might make some changes along the way, but don’t lose sight of what made you want to write the story in the first place. And if all else fails, remember: compromise is for marriages, not manuscripts.

15. Learning When to Let Go

Struggle: Finishing a piece of writing is hard enough, but letting it go? That’s a whole new level of torture. After all, there’s always something that could be tweaked, polished, or completely rewritten.
Why: Perfectionism is the enemy of progress, and many new writers find themselves trapped in an endless cycle of revisions. The fear of releasing something into the world that isn’t perfect can be paralyzing, but at some point, you have to declare your work “good enough” and move on. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a drawer full of unfinished masterpieces and not a single published word. So, take a deep breath, hit “send,” and let your baby fly. If it crashes and burns, well, at least you can say you tried.

If you’re ready to turn your writing struggles into triumphs—and do it in the most inspiring setting imaginable—why not join me on a writing and walking retreat along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in the sun-blessed southwest of France? Picture yourself walking and writing by day, surrounded by the beauty of ancient landscapes, and unwinding with fellow writers in the evenings, all while finding the clarity and inspiration you need to bring your stories to life. It’s not just a retreat; it’s a chance to connect (or reconnect) with your writing muse, your creativity, and yourself. Whether you’re looking to conquer writer’s block, refine your voice, or simply soak in the magic of the Camino, this journey will transform your writing.

Email me at Welcome2Gascony@gmail.com to inquire about availability.