what holds writers back: my top ten

It’s NaNoWriMo time, again!

I started this blog (and soon afterward, my weekly YouTube livestream) last year right around this time, as it seemed like there was an extra need for writing mentorship out there.

So many blog posts and livestreams later, I am amazed at how this ongoing exploration of writing good fiction continues to deepen. It’s a lifetime practice for sure.

And how has your writing grown this year?

While you you formulate your answer, I want to give a shout-out to all the Path of the Storyteller alums who finished a draft in 2021.

TRUMPETS OF VICTORY SOUND! Some have never finished a book before. Revisions are now in progress, and I am so very proud of each and every one of these awesome and dedicated writers! 

Accomplishment feels good. Setting goals and moving steadily toward them feels fantastic.

But being stuck, thwarted, or in despair because all your efforts seem to be going in circles does not feel so good, am I right?

This week’s livestream is not for the faint of heart. My list of the ten top things that hold writers back from success doesn’t pull any punches. It’s a list born of long personal practice and observation of how writers develop, or fail to. 

If the list leaves you feeling a little challenged, that’s not a bad thing! They’re all fixable, I promise! Leave a comment below and let me if any of them resonate with you.

My weekly livestream about story structure, writing craft, and the mindset of the working writer happens on Wednesdays at 1 PM Pacific on YouTube. Come live and participate, or catch the replays on YouTube or here on the blog.

To watch live and ask questions, subscribe to the YouTube channel here.  

You can join the Path of the Storyteller Facebook group right here.