Challenges For Writers

There are many different types of writers and unfortunately many of them tend to criticize one another. Writers are some of the most critical people you’ll ever meet. Seriously.

Novel writers don’t believe that bloggers are real writers, authors that have been published with a publishing company don’t believe self published authors are real authors. Then there is the editing that goes on when one writer reads another person’s work. They think they could do better, look at those errors, blah, blah.

We have enough difficulties in this field without being at another writer's throat but it happens. I've been to conferences where one writer got their feelings hurt because of another person's words. I wish I were making this up but I'm not.

When you tell a person you are a writer, the first thing that comes to their mind is an author of books. People who are not in the field of writing don’t realize the many different aspects of the career. You can be a journalist, a copywriter, text book writer, play writers, lyricist, how to manual writer, fiction writer, non-fiction writer and today we have online article writers as well as bloggers. All are writers and make their living sitting in front of a keyboard.

Look at anything in print you have in your home: all written by a writer.

If you make money writing, you are a writer.

As far as I'm concerned even if you don't make money writing you are still a writer if you write but some get all caught up in the details and like to nitpick the issue to death.

What have you written?

Some writers never see their name on the work they do but they consistently get jobs and stay in work. I know a woman who writes those beautiful textbooks for young children with gorgeous photography and information about animals around the world. Once she’s paid it’s turned over to the textbook company and her name never appears in print but she’s put kids through college, paid for family trips and remodeled her kitchen with money she’s made writing these books.

Telling people you are a writer but then trying to explain where they can read your work isn’t always easy. Some of us write under a pseudonym and even others want their vocation kept under wraps. I wrote an article about a school teacher that writes erotica a while back. I’ll add the link below just in case you haven’t read it. She makes more money selling books than she does teaching English to high school kids but she had to keep that portion of her career a secret, only it got out and some tried to get her fired. Being a writer isn’t always an easy way of life.

Fiction or Non-Fiction?

Most writers excel at one or the other but there are some gifted people that can do both with great skill.

Fiction writers feel that making up information as they go along is much easier than continually giving instruction or writing about people, places or things.

Some have trouble making up stories and prefer to stick to writing what they know.

Still others love to write and put together pieces of written work but prefer someone else give them the ideas and information. Tell them what to write and they’ll write it.

What kind of writer makes the most money?

They all have the potential to make a lot of money. You simply have to find what works best for you and stick with it. That's not to say you may change your mind about what you write or the rules may simply change in a few years. Look at ebook publishing and how it's changed the publishing world.

There are millionaire bloggers as well as those that write fiction so don’t let anyone tell you one way is better than another. Finding your style and favorite kind of writing will work best.

Don’t think you have to write a novel to be considered a “real writer.” I know some fiction writers that don’t own their own home and struggle to pay their bills. They put out a book every year just to make ends meet.

Then there are bloggers that appear to be playing online everyday, travel all of the time staying in expensive hotels and eating in fancy restaurants. Don’t judge a book by its cover.

I'm not saying you have to own your own home just showing that just because someone has published a book or more doesn't mean they are rich or even middle class.

Making a difference in the world

Whatever you write, if it brings enjoyment to your readers and yourself, mostly yourself then you are making a difference in the world.

We live in a messed up universe with turmoil, bad weather and sickness. Writing a few words that makes someone smile, teaches them something or helps a person is well worth the few minutes or hours you put into that piece whether you get rich or not.

I wrote for years online for fun not realizing I could be making money doing it and still would whether I got paid or not. It makes me happy and sometimes it makes others happy too.

What do I write?

I write articles, blogs and fiction. So far I haven’t published a novel but may someday. I’ve published short fiction in magazines under an assumed name but nothing with my well known pseudonym or real name.

I’m very picky about novels and want to make sure what I publish is the best I can do so I haven’t yet sent out anything. I’ve read some really lousy books that were a disappointment. I don’t want to attach my name to anything that people won’t enjoy reading.

Challenges for me as a writer

Hopefully someday I will have a book with my name on it. So to answer the question of what is the biggest challenge for me as a writer? I’d say completing an entire novel. I admire anyone who has the focus to be able to do that. The difficulty for me is staying focused with one story long enough to see it through to the end.

Other challenges are the ongoing changes for online writers. Writing for Internet publication is one of the most difficult for any writer due to the continuous changes that take place. We not only have to write, but we have to network, advertise and keep up with all of the changes that Google and the websites we write for make.

Being a writer is no picnic and if you decide this career choice you have to love it or you’ll go crazy and even then you still might.