Six Hindrances to Writing Success
by MaryAnn Diorio, Ph.DLet's face it! We writers want to see our writing published. Our work does no one any good if it sits in a drawer or on a shelf gathering dust.
Moreover, the Word of God commands us to "publish His glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things He does" (Psalm 96:3 NLT). But how are we to do this if our writing keeps getting rejected?
I'd like to propose six possible hindrances to writing success. If you see yourself in any of these hindrances, don't be discouraged. With God's help, the right attitude, and truthful perceptions, you can eliminate these hindrances and experience the breakthrough you've been longing for.
Hindrance #1: Lack of Ability to Handle Rejection
Far too many writers allow rejection to control their writing future. At the first return of a manuscript, they yield to discouragement and depression because they take the rejection personally. They assume they're not cut out to be writers, and so they quit.
Remember that when an editor rejects a manuscript, he is doing just that and nothing more. He is not rejecting you as a person. The key to handling rejection is to realize that your worth is not dependent on what you do. Your worth was given to you by God, is intrinsic to your nature as a human being, and can never be taken from you nor can it ever be diminished.
Hindrance #2: Lack of confidence.
Another hindrance to writing success is the lack of confidence. Also called self-doubt, this hindrance can keep you from fulfilling your God-given destiny. Remember this: If God has called you to write, then God has equipped you to write.
Hindrance #3: Lack of understanding of the craft.
This is a hindrance that can easily be removed with a little ambition and a little initiative. With all the tools, courses, magazines, and newsletters available on writing, there is no excuse for not learning the craft. Furthermore, our Lord commands us to study to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15).
Of course, learning the craft of writing is a process, and a cumulative one at that. So don't be hard on yourself if your progress seems slower than what you would like. Keep studying, and keep writing. The rest will take care of itself.
Hindrance #4: Lack of market knowledge.
This hindrance is one of the chief causes of failure in the writing profession. Writers simply don't take the time to study the markets. Imagine being a shoe manufacturer and trying to sell your shoes to a meat-packaging company. The meat-packager would probably not be interested in your product.
Writers do this all the time with their writing. They send short stories to magazines that don't buy fiction, children's stories to magazines for retirees, and poetry to magazines that don't publish any.
If you want to be successful as a writer, you must study the markets so that you will increase your chances of matching your work to the publication's need.
Hindrance #5: Lack of humility.
Pride comes before a fall, and a writer who is too proud to listen to the advice of an editor will, most likely, not be published. This is not to say that you should compromise your integrity or the integrity of your work. It is to say, however, that editors know a lot more about their publication and their readership than you do, so you would be wise to take their comments seriously.
Hindrance #6: Lack of perseverance.
Becoming successful in any endeavor takes time and patience. This is especially true in the writing profession. Playing the waiting game is part and parcel of being a writer. So just accept the fact that you will have to be patient.
The best way to handle the waiting period is to keep on writing and keep on submitting. Not only will you get your mind off the waiting, but you will also be increasing your odds of being published.
Happy Writing!
MaryAnn
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© 2005 by MaryAnn L. Diorio, Ph.D. All rights reserved. Copies of this article may be made for personal use only. Please include copyright information. Those wishing to publish this article must first request written permission from the author. A minimum fee of $25 will be charged for all reprints.
Dr. Mary Ann Diorio is a popular public speaker, author, and life coach. She speaks on a variety of topics, including writing and life management issues. To book Dr. Diorio, visit her website at www.maryanndiorio.com or at www.LifeCoachingConsultants.us.