Why Do Most Writers Fail?

Many people want to write a book. In fact, if you ask a group of people if anyone wants to write a book, the majority will raise their hands and say they do. Writing a The Great American Novel has been romanticized in movies and in life, but many people don’t realize the amount of work that’s involved in actually producing a finished product.

Even with the best of intentions, many writers fail to finish a book. Listed below are the most common reasons that most writers fail.

No Plan

If you want to write a book, you must have a plan. If you simply sit in a chair in front of the computer screen without a plan, you will more than likely begin to feel overwhelmed and that will lead to giving up. Writing a book takes planning—not just planning the actual story, but also planning the time to write it.

Make a plan by sitting down and thinking about your book. Think about your characters and your story. Think about your theme and your purpose in writing the novel. Think about the setting and the conflict. Write it all down, then plan your book—or at least have a solid idea of the story arc and character arcs.

Next, make a plan to write it by scheduling time each day. Figure out how many words you will write every day to finish your book. If you write 250 words/day (a double-spaced page) and your target word count is 60,000 words (check the genre for expected word counts) it will take you 240 days to write the book. 500 words/day cuts that in half. 1000 words/day will take you 60 days. Determine how many words/day you can write, then go with that.

Add in rewriting and editing days to your plan. I know authors who write, rewrite, edit and then publish a book every month. I know other authors who take a year to finish a book.

If you plan to publish traditionally, it will take another 1-2 years to find an agent, find a publisher, and then see your book on a shelf.

The important take away: make a plan to be successful.

No Writing Tribe

Successful writers surround themselves with like-minded people. It’s important to have a group of people who can answer your questions, give you feedback, and cheer you on. Other writers understand what it’s like to want to get a scene just right. People who write also understand the “voices” you hear when you’re listening in to a conversation between two characters or when a character is sharing her story with you. Other writers “get it.”

Find a writing group on FaceBook or through your local library or community center. Find people who are as passoinate as you are about the written word and it will help keep your passion alive during the long days of writing.

Not Enough Knowledge

We all went to high school and took English. That means we understand how to write, and, more specifically, how to write a novel. Wrong. So wrong. Writing a novel takes a certain skill set. And that skill set must be developed. It’s true that some writers have the ability to write naturally, but successful writers are, more often than not, persistent writers who refuse to give up. It’s often said that writing is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.

Knowing what makes a compelling, realistic character, what makes an intriguing story, and how to design each scene takes skill. You learn the proper skills through classes, reading resource books, attending conferences, and practicing writing over and over and over again. This comprises the perspiration part of the writing equation.

Knowledge is power. The more you know, the better able you are to write the story that you want to share with the world.

Not Committed Enough

Writing = butt in chair. That’s the best way to put it. If you want to write a novel, you have to put in the time. You have to be committed for the long haul or it just won’t happen. Writing can be exhausting and tedious, and you have to ask yourself if you are committed to the time it will take to bring your novel from concept to finished product.

Many people say they want to write a novel but when it comes down to it, everything else gets in the way. If you want to write a novel, you have to be willing to sacrifice to do so. You may have to give up your favorite hobby or TV show or get up an hour earlier or stay up an hour later.

Writing a novel means you have to be dedicated and committed. Without that commitment, you will likely fail to finish your book because it isn’t as much a priority as other things in your life.

Fear of Failure

Who’s afraid of failure? Everyone is, to some degree or another. Will you actually have anything valuable to say? Will you be able to finish the project? Will anyone want to read your story when it’s finished? Will everyone hate it and rip it to shreds?

It’s scary to put your blood, sweat, and tears into a story and then lay yourself open when you submit or publish it. Reviews can be brutal. Readers may not “get” your book. Every writer I know, including me, is afraid of all of these things, but that fear doesn’t paralyze them or me. And that’s the difference. If the fear prevents you from sharing your stories, then that’s a problem.

You have to face that fear of failure, look it in its face, then overcome it and go forward with your book. Never surrender!

Don’t Love the Story

Some writers fail to complete a book because they simply don’t love the story. Maybe the original idea was exciting, but the execution has become clunky and no longer holds interest for the writer.

You can avoid this by planning out your book and evaluating if your idea can sustain a book as well as sustain your interest while you write it. If you jump on an idea and start writing it without vetting it to see if it’s a plausible concept for a book, you may end up spending a lot of time but still failing to write/finish it.

Take the time to evaluate your idea, characters, conflict, setting, and plot. Does this story matter to your main character? Does it matter to you? Make sure it does before you spend time writing it.

Don’t Love the Characters

Make sure you want to spend the time it will take to write your story with your characters. If your characters are flat or stereotypical or don’t have clear cut goals, you may end up not liking your characters. And if you don’t like them, your readers won’t either.

To avoid this, you can fill out a character packet and go through preliminary steps to create compelling, realistic characters with story arcs that you care about and that your readers will care about. Taking time before plunging into a first draft to verify you have a good cast of characters who will populate your book, will save you the heartache of failing to complete your novel because you don’t love the characters.

Prevent Failure

You can prevent failing to write your book by:

• Planning your book
• Planning your writing time
• Finding a writing tribe
• Gaining knowledge and skills
• Committing to the project
• Facing your fear of failure
• Vetting your story idea
• Creating compelling, realistic characters

***If you need some help creating your characters, download my free Character Design Packet here. It will help you create compelling, unforgettable characters that will make your story come alive.

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In this course, Writing a Fantastic First Chapter, you will learn what components you need to include in your first chapter to hook readers. With examples and assignments, you will put into practice what you learn and you can ask questions all along the way. A first chapter checklist, a character sheet, and a character interview are all included as downloads.

Don’t try to write a first chapter in the dark. This course will shine the light on what elements you need to help you navigate writing the all-important first chapter, so you can win over readers.

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