Blog post by Kaja Rakuscek

A cup of coffee, the sound of a typewriter and a gentle breeze coming from the open window that overlooks a huge mahogany table behind which a young, zealous writer composes their next great work. As romantic and idyllic as writing sounds, writers are often faced with numerous challenges that make them struggle during the process.

Writer’s block

Some days, writing is a piece of cake – you wake up, sit behind your desk and pour out your thoughts with ease right away. But there are days when writer’s block gets the best of you. This is when writing can appear intimidating and the ideas that you thought were phenomenal might appear not worth talking about. As horrible as it seems, writer’s block can be overcome. What you should do is rest and make healthy lifestyle choices – stay active, eat well, stay away from (too much) stress and caffeine. Reading can also help tremendously and is a catalyst for new ideas of your own. Another technique is re-evaluating what inspires you – observe what gets your creative juices flowing, experiment and find what works for you.

Fear of being misunderstood

As long as you write only for your own pleasure in the comfort of your own room, you probably have no trouble expressing your most intimate ideas and opinions eloquently and with ease. But once you start considering publishing your writing, you might start facing feelings of insecurity and self-doubt. The fear of being condemned for your work, especially if you are proud of it, is universal. While it is possible your writing will be misunderstood, remember not to fret about it. There are many readers who are eager to find innovative and unconventional pieces of writing. 

Being a non-native speaker

If English is not your mother tongue, you might be facing an additional challenge – feeling like you cannot express yourself clearly and eloquently. Despite having an abundance of ideas, you might be asking yourself if you possess the skill to voice them. Those are all valid worries, but there is a solution – read, read, read, and then write, write, write. Engage with English as much as you can. The more you read, the more familiar you will become with the language, and you will improve subconsciously. 

In short, writing is an undeniably complex process, but when you find something that you are passionate enough about to discuss in your writing, you are halfway there. Employ your own voice and style to give your writing a soul. And remember these words from the great James Joyce: “Mistakes are the portals of discovery.”

Now get that pen out and start writing!