When we know the root of the problem, then we can deal with it. This principle follows us all through life: spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and in our writing craft.
Throughout the years of coaching writers (since 2012), I have seen these roadblocks stop writers and stall their creativity. So let’s look at the roadblocks that might be affecting how you write.
Self-Doubt: “I can’t do this.” “I’m no good.” “I deserve rejection.” “Nobody will read my stuff.” When writers begin to believe these lies, the self-doubt takes precedence over the creativity. “Why should I keep trying to put words on the page or posting on my blog when nobody will read it?”
What we often forget is that somebody somewhere IS reading our words. They just don’t leave a comment or let us know about how our words impact them. And sometimes, the person most impacted will actually live within the next generation of readers. CS Lewis had no idea the impact his words would make. But he kept writing.
A simple solution to our self-doubt is to turn the negatives into positives: “I CAN do this.” “I AM a good writer.” “Every writer gets rejection. It’s okay.” “Somebody today will read my stuff.”
Self-Sabotage: When we let the self-doubt take over, we self-sabotage. We begin to procrastinate, because our motivation has become limited. We let distractions overcome us and take over our usual writing time.
And some writers completely quit. They refuse to start again, because they have been hurt by the rejections. They stop believing in the power of their words or the fact that they have an important message to share. They let the doubt become stronger than the call to write. What a waste of a gift!
The best cure for self-sabotage is to hire a writing coach who will inspire you, motivate you to begin again, and help you set some manageable goals. Check out Why You Need a Writing Coach on my website.
Stress: It is no secret that stress damages our creativity. And we all live with some sort of stress, whether it is an illness, a family dynamic that has not resolved, or the chaos of our world.
Stress of any kind can become a poison to the creative soul. And stress can literally kill us. So we need to learn how to manage it. An illness may require some time off to recover. No judgment here. We are humans who are affected by our physical bodies. So give yourself grace to take a break. But then be determined — when you are well — to begin again.
Set some intentional boundaries. Less time scrolling through social media will eliminate some of the stress. A boundary around which television programming you watch. Putting all electronic devices away one hour before bedtime so that you can get some quality sleep.
In this current political climate, I limit my intake of the news. And instead of being fixated on one particular channel with one particular focus, I have 1440.com on my phone — just the facts. No political commentary.
Settling: We settle when we follow the ‘shoulds’ of someone else. When a reader tells us, “You should write …” (particular genre). Maybe that’s not the genre we have any interest in. Maybe that genre requires more study, more learning, more time to learn that particular craft. Meanwhile, we need to focus on what we do best.
Western romance is currently selling, but I am not interested in writing within that genre. Some ‘experts’ have suggested that I ‘should’ write in that genre. Why? I don’t read Western romance. I have no interest in that topic. So I don’t care what other people say I ‘should’ write just because it’s trending. I need to be true to myself. And so do you.
The other way we settle is just waiting around for the writing muse to strike us. After 40+ years writing and editing, I know this truth: there is NO muse. Writing does require inspiration, but that beautiful desire happens when we sit down and begin to move our fingers across the keyboard. Energy creates productivity.
Stop settling.
Perfectionism: The perfectionist writers are never satisfied with their words. They keep going back to make them better. They want their words to count for something. Of course! All of us do. But when we stop and keep going back, we never make any progress. Never finish that chapter. Never send out that article.
If we think our words aren’t good enough, we are blocking ourselves. Creating self-sabotage. The truth is: we can always improve. And our next book, our next article should show some improvement. But trying to create a perfect manuscript will not happen.
This is why we have editors — to fix what is not right.
Set a timer for 15 minutes and don’t stop writing until it dings. Fight the urge to go back and correct yourself. Or when you think you’ve made an error, just type in some forward slashes. On your second revision, when you see //////// you’ll know that’s where you need to revise. But not until the first draft is complete.
If Only: This type of roadblock keeps wishing for a perfect world. Writers who are caught in the ‘If Only’ world keep telling themselves, “If only I could publish just one book, I would feel like a real writer.” “If only I had enough money, I would go to a conference or hire a writing coach.” “If only I had more time, I could actually write.”
The ‘If Only’ reality does not exist. There will never be a perfect scenario for each writer. Most of us will not become full-time writers, living in a cabin in the mountains where we write all day and inspire the world with our words.
Writing is hard work that requires the investment of time and sometimes money. But anything that really counts for something, costs something. There are ways to find money for conferences, for a decent computer, for hiring a coach. And all of us have 168 hours each week. We have the time. We just have to set boundaries, find our time, then have the grit to use it well.
Believing the Lies: Imposter Syndrome is a real thing, and writers can easily succumb to comparisonitis. When we compare ourselves to other writers, we can catch ourselves trying to mimic another writer’s words. Or when we cannot completely shadow them, we can give in to the negativity and the fear of judgment.
The truth is that each writer has their own voice. We cannot write like someone else or compare our productivity to another writer, because we have our own worlds to conquer. And we do not know anything about how that writer lives and works. Some successful writers have full-time assistants who do much of the admin work for them.
Most of us have to do our own bookkeeping and bill-paying, our own laundry and house cleaning. We have to fit writing in between other full-time jobs. So we cannot compare ourselves to a writer who has wealth and lots of help.
Basically, all of the above roadblocks contain some sort of lie we may tell ourselves. The cure is to get to the root of the problem and address it. Then set healthy boundaries around our writing life. Again, if you need help, I am only an email away.
Stop living within the roadblocks. Do not waste your gift. Keep writing. Your words matter.
©2026 RJ Thesman – All Rights Reserved
The first draft of Seeking the Land of Grace was written at the library, one of my intentional boundaries to avoid the roadblock of home distractions. Available on Amazon in print and e-book.
Image Attribution: Dr. Ming Way