6 CHALLENGES FACED BY WRITERS AND HOW TO TACKLE THEM.

There are so many advantages of being a writer, some of which includes the ability to work from home, to work at your own pace and being your own boss. In whatever we do we all need challenges to remain alert and keep us on our feet. Being a writer is no exception. Some challenges are not meant to be tackled alone, that is why its advisable to seek help from people who can be of assistance or have been in such position before.

In this article I’ve listed some major challenges faced by writers and how to tackle them.

1. LACK OF CONFIDENCE – No matter how skilled or experienced a writer you are, it won’t take you as far as you need to go if you’re not confident of what you have to offer.
When you know your worth and are confident about your skills you won’t settle for a low price. You’ll be bold enough to demand your worth because of the results that your work produces.

One of the major factors that brings about lack of confidence is FEAR. Most writer are worried about their services not producing the expected results, about losing a client today if they increase their charge or not getting another source of income that will cover their bills.

In situations like this, I tell myself that there are better opportunities out there and keep increasing on my skills, because the more you accept less than what you’re worth, the farther away you’re placing yourself from better opportunities. So sometimes, all you need to do is have confidence in yourself and believe you’re worth it.

2. FEAR OF SELLING – Some people will say you like money a lot or that you’re broke when they see you selling your services. You already know you can’t change the way people will perceive you so why not become a better marketer of your services and sell properly?
You might not know it but when you share the link to your blog posts so your friends and followers can read your stories, you are selling. When you share your ideas so people can support you, it is also selling. It is not a bad thing to sell when you know that what you’re offering the buyer will improve one aspect of their life.

The best way to overcome this fear of selling is to accept the fact that not everyone is your audience and those who aren’t will always have something negative to say. You have bills to pay and some basic needs to take care of, these can only be possible when you market your services properly and sell to your audience.

3. LOTS OF COMPETITION – As more people become knowledgeable about the internet, the more they realise the opportunities that abounds. There are people who will accept $50 for the same service you offer for $100. This may be as a result of the various living standard in different parts of the world.

You don’t have to see competition as a problem, rather see it as a solution, see it as an opportunity for you to earn more. This is a chance for you to increase the value you have to offer as well as increasing your charges with it. It’s possible that other competitors won’t be able to offer that extra value as you can, in this way you get to remain one step ahead.

4. STYLE OF LIVING – Sometimes when you try to write, you find out that the zeal is just not there. It might look like laziness to others, but in most cases it has to do with your way of life rather than a writers block.
Recently I’ve been battling with waking up early to prepare for my 9-5 job, all the stress that comes with it, getting home tired and then up again in the early hours of the morning to write these articles. But no matter how I try, I still end up not being productive.

Here’s what I did, I decided to rest for a few days, ate good home cooked meals, woke up as early as 6 or 7 am and read my favourite romance novels instead of my books on personal development. After this exercise I was in a better mood to write. You should try this out sometimes and note a difference in your mood.

5. OVERBEARING CLIENTS – No writer can escape at least one experience with an overbearing client, most especially those who are just starting out. Some of them make you work double on the same pay, they could even dampen your spirit and make you doubt the value of your work if you’re not careful.
Whenever a case such as this arise and you know the value of what you bring to the table, increase your charge. They might decide to let you go if they cant afford the new charges but you’ll also earn your respect.

6. LONG PERIODS OF ISOLATION – Being alone for too long is going to put a damper on your social life and if you can no longer connect with your family and friends, you might get emotionally deprived. No matter how important a writing project is, make sure it doesn’t take over your life.
It’s imperative that you remain in close contact with people offline more than you do online to maintain real relationships. It’ll also help if you attend social gatherings, listen to music or go see a movie with friends. Just don’t remain alone for too long.

What other challenges are you experiencing as a writer? Please share with us in the comments section some of these challenges and how you’ve been able to overcome them. 

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