When Your Writing Just Doesn’t Cut It

Come, follow me into my lair, and let’s talk craft.

Writing sometimes feels like that kind of endeavor that doesn’t give enough back for what you pour into it. Effort, time, focus, different kinds of sacrifice — all these things come into play, no matter the scope of the writing project you’re tackling. And honestly? Sometimes writing can seem like more trouble than it’s worth.

What setbacks can you look forward to as a budding writer? Let’s take a little walk down the Hall of Shame…

Fear of Failure

A lot of writers wait to start their creative journeys because of a niggling little thing called fear. It’s not hard to understand why some artistic types don’t actually end up pursuing their passions until later in life. It’s intimidating to let yourself be raw and open with an endeavor that may not actually pay off in any tangible way in the future.

And you know what? The fear never actually goes away.

I’ve been a writer myself for a while — going on about fifteen years — but there was a long stretch of time where I never shared my writing with anyone. What was I missing? The tough skin to withstand any hint of criticism, constructive or otherwise. Even now, whenever I get feedback, a part of me withdraws into a shell. Though I am still trying to…