6 mental pitfalls stopping aspiring writers from building their daily practice
Transform your mental blocks into building blocks for writing success.
I spent years dreaming about being a writer without actually writing.
I filled my browser tabs with articles about writing techniques, loaded my Kindle with craft books, and crammed my notes app with "story ideas." I told myself I’d wait for things to slow down at work (this will never happen) or one more writing course (I ended up taking a year of classes at Stanford) before I could start.
Here's what I've learned: overthinking is the silent dream-killer of aspiring writers.
It masquerades as preparation, but really it's just fear in disguise. And I'm willing to bet you've felt it too.
That downward spiral of thinking:
"What if it's not good enough?"
"I should probably read a few more books on structure first."
"I'll start when I have more time."
In this article, we'll explore 6 mental traps that signal you're stuck in the overthinking loop. More importantly, you'll learn how to recognize these patterns as they happen, so you can catch yourself before falling into analysis paralysis. The most important step isn't perfecting your outline or mastering story structure, it's simply showing up.
Trap #1: Reading is not writing.
Reading books about writing books does not make you a better writer. I would know, I’ve read nearly all of them. Don't get me wrong, these books are incredibly enjoyable, however, they trick your brain into feeling productive, without actually making progress.
Writing is a personal endeavor. You need to find what works for you based on your own abilities and interests. When you read a book on writing, you are getting the output without experiencing the friction the author went through to get there. The friction is how you acquire a hard skill.
Let's get this out of the way early. The only way to improve as a writer is to write: a lot. Then, after you've revised and feel ready, you get feedback. This could be an editor, an agent, or your writing group, often it’s a spouse. Anyone whose taste you admire. Now, repeat until you're satisfied.
It's so simple, yet we make it so complicated.
To benefit from these kinds of books, you need to be writing as you read them. Pick out what works for you and connect it abstractly to your own process. Copying and pasting a famous writer's technique will not be effective. I know because I have tried, with at least 5 different authors.
Professional writers spend more time writing (and reading their own work) than they do reading other people's work. I'm not saying reading is not important, it's good to specify your tastes, and it's fun.
The problem is aspirational writers read more than they write.
Trap #2: Worrying that it's not good enough.
We can't talk about overthinking without mentioning perfectionism. It's such a common issue, I almost did not include it.
Start with a "shitty first draft"
Being published and imperfect is better than unpublished and perfect
All good advice, but let's approach it from a slightly different angle.
Lately, I have been reading about Zen Buddhism. It has shown me the tendency in myself to imagine a perfect future where everything is under my control. In Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman he uses the analogy of a super yacht vs a kayak.
We imagine our future as if we were sailing on a super yacht. Using our advanced sonar and GPS we pick a direct course to our destination. Then we can sit back in our comfy leather chair drinking Mai Tais as we enjoy the ride.
This could not be further from the truth.
In reality we are on a kayak on a fast moving river. We are paddling hard, trying not to capsize, with little control over where the rapids will take us.
My point is perfection is unattainable. Not just in writing but in work and relationships. None of it will ever be good enough. The best we can do is try to use what little time we have meaningfully.
Find what makes you feel enthusiastic and make it your north star. Dreams of perfectionism only lead to dissapointment and disillusionment.
Trap #3: Comparing your step 1 to another author's step N.
It's normal to feel jealous of other authors. Let's imagine, for the sake of argument, you have a Substack newsletter about writing. You might notice Substack is filled with newsletters about writing, with more being created every day. Newsletters written by professional writers with real credentials, who are funnier, more insightful, wiser, and, let's face it, better writers.
Again, totally hypothetical, you see newsletters like Stephen Pressfield's "The War of Art" (he's great by the way), whose thing you are sort of copying. Only yours is much worse.
You've probably figured it out by now, it's me. I'm jealous of other authors. Well Good. I feel jealous because I want to achieve what they've achieved. Now I know the direction I want to move in.
Keep in mind professional writers have been doing this for decades. They've worked incredibly hard to be where they are today, years of toiling with words for little praise or financial compensation. Stephen Pressfield writes in "The War of Art" that he was homeless while he was trying to make it as a writer. Don't compare your step 1 to their step N. Try to find people in a similar phase of their journey, they're probably facing the same issues.
Comparison will only sap your enthusiasm for writing and leave you bitter.
A growth mindset means celebrating other people's wins. When an author achieves success it's good for authors everywhere. It means there is still a demand for words, written by real people no less. We are not playing a zero sum game. The magic of the internet and popularity of English has created a massive total addressable market with room for everyone.
Next time you see someone succeed, be sure to cheer them on.
Trap #4: Doing too much research.
I love statistical analysis of data. I don't talk about it much here, but my day job is working as a data engineer in sales. My current obsession is using k-lytics and publisher rocket to analyze book sales on Amazon. These are not affiliate links, I just love these products. I can spend hours picking apart the data. With over 50,000 sub-sub-categories on Amazon there are nearly infinite ways to slice-and-dice the data. It's what I do for a living.
Similar to reading, research can quickly become a form of productive-feeling procrastination. Research allows me to spend more time in the dreaming phase where I can imagine a perfect future where my book comes out to critical praise and commercial success. (Read: A fantasy).
Again, research will be needed. If you are writing a historical fiction novel with period accurate vernacular, then yeah, you will need to do your research. The problem with research, and everything on this list, is when done in excess it becomes a pathology.
When your goal is to be writing, anything that is not writing should be considered a distraction.
Trap #5: Thinking every piece has to be life changing.
George Saunders in his Substack often talks about how writing requires a sense of playfulness and lightness. If you put too much pressure on yourself, there will be no joy.
Creators of all types are terrible at predicting the success of a given piece. The piece you think will be great ends up performing terribly, while the piece you do quickly with low expectations ends up going viral. Outcomes are completely random. Your only choice is whether you keep taking shots on the goal.
Common pressures people will put on their work:
"I need this piece to be successful if I have any hope of being a writer."
"Writing is my legacy and this piece will be my magnum opus, living on in the library of congress forever."
"Without writing, what purpose does my life have in this nihilistic void we call reality?"
The truth is you probably would not enjoy overwhelming success as much as you think. Haruki Murakami is a private person and dislikes the fame he gained from Norwegian Wood. George R.R. Martin has been so busy with the cool projects he’s been offered after he became famous, he hasn't been able to publish a book in his most well-known series for 13 years.
When authors make it, it's the period before the breakthrough they look back on nostalgically. I’ve begun to think of writing as a tool for self-expression and personal development. Through this lens, there’s no reason to put so much pressure on yourself.
Trap #6: Spending too much time designing.
A common piece of advice for querying authors is to have a hook for their book. A hook is a short description meant to grab a reader’s attention by illustrating how it's unique and different from the competition. For readers that consume hundreds of genre fiction novels a year, they are hungry for something fresh. By the way, here's a great newsletter for learning more about hooks.
While undoubtedly true, it's important to keep in mind that marketing is not everything. A hook may get a click and a share online, yet it's not what keeps readers going. The quality of the writing is what propels them forward. If your goal is to actually make money, then sure, you should probably work on your hook.
For people not striving for monetary gain, consider putting this one on the back burner. Focus on the fundamentals. Write stunning sentences and keep your tension rising, keep them wanting more.
It can feel like there's no point in pouring energy into a story without a hook. But you never know, you may find one along the way.
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