6 answers to “Why is writing/trying to get published so hard?”

Because we expect it to be something that can be accomplished if we just set our mind to it —and that expectation is incorrect. Let’s change the expectation.

Here’s what I tell myself–and the writers I work with:

“It feels hard because it is hard.” Even though it looks straightforward. Don’t compare your work in progress to what you see on the shelf - those books have been written, revised, and edited many many times - they didn’t start the way they ended up!

“Some days you’re the pigeon, some days you're the statue.” Writing and being a writer is a rollercoaster. Some days words flow out, some days they don’t. Some days you get an acceptance, some days you get 3 rejections. Just because something good happens one day isn’t a guarantee that it will happen the next day. It doesn’t just one day magically (be)come easy. But we work at it anyway. As Scarlett O’Hara said, “After all, tomorrow is another day!”

“It takes as long as it needs to take.” You can’t rush it. Some writers can write a book a year, but most can’t, not because they’re not good writers, but because not everyone is a good fast writer.

“Measure progress by actions, not outcomes.” So you didn’t hit your word count goal today. Did you open the document? Did you have an idea? Make a new connection in your writing? Try for ten minutes?

“We can’t control what we can’t control.” Writing the best book you can? In your control. Hoping an agent or editor loves your work and/or gets back to you quickly? Beyond your control.

“The struggle doesn’t mean the process isn’t working; the struggle IS the process.” Anne Janzer, author of The Writer’s Process, says “struggle is the immersion phase of creativity,” when good things are swirling around and haven’t quite gelled yet. 

I agree–and I’m constantly reminding myself that even if I feel stuck at the moment, it’s part of the creative process, and I’m only a short distance from a breakthrough, so keep going.

What if you started telling yourself the same thing? Reframing struggle as a normal part of your process?

You don’t have to go through the process alone. A coach is there to help you every step of the way. I can't promise you’ll write a book in a year or that you’ll get a book deal. But I can promise that I’ll support your vision and provide tools and techniques and strategies to help you meet your goals.