Also known as do you have writer’s block?

So, recently I found an author’s challenge listed for the month of September, and of course, it is now the END of September and I have not done this challenge. That might be considered a struggle of its own, but I digress.

So, in this challenge they ask several questions for the author to use on blogs or social media to gain interest, and get comments, and so on.

I thought the one about writing struggles was really interesting.

What kind of struggles do you have as a writer?

Most of us would likely say just getting into our writing chair or underneath the computer keyboard is a struggle that we face most days. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time.

I am not semi-retired from workaday life, so I cannot really use that excuse. Except for maybe on weekends. OH! wow! I forgot to tell you! I got married!

*and let me tell you-I LOVE MY LIFE!*

But, now being married makes writing anything of any length on weekends a little more challenging because I want to spend time with my hubby, and that’s way more important.

Anyway, time constraints are a struggle.

I find also, characterization to be a struggle. How do we make our paper people stand off the page? How did we all fall in love with hobbits, or wizards, or elves? Well, the author made them memorable. We have to do likewise and sometimes it is tough to give a paper person enough oomph to leave an indention on a reader’s mind.

Characterization is a writing struggle for some.

Then again, there are the issues with plotting, and maybe even writing ourselves into a wall. I have this problem often. The plot will be zinging down the path and suddenly, whammo! I cannot figure out where to go from there. How do you get the character(s) over the wall? Under it? Around it?

Definitely, a member in the struggles for writers.

Another thing, all of these writing struggles could definitely fit into the bowl of writer’s block creators. Think about it…you cannot write. Why? well, I have this character that won’t act right, or I have put everyone in a bucket and can’t figure out how to save them…etc.

Is there hope for writing struggles?

The good news about writing struggles is this: they are only temporary. Well, unless you don’t address them. I have had a multiple batch of years where my writing struggles went on and on. That was not entirely the fault of my WIP (work in progress) however.

I mean, life DOES get in the way sometimes. Sometimes you just have to set it aside and let it rest. That does help with the situation oftentimes. A new book you read, a twist of a plot, a characterization tactic employed by another writer, can break your block.

What other things do you think create writing struggles? I know there are more. I want to hear your thoughts!