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When we think of authors, what automatically comes to mind? J.R.R Tolkien and his masterful ability to create worlds with the use of his broad imagination? Or perhaps Angie Thomas and her impeccable skill to transfer real life experiences to a world where readers may learn and relate? Literature has, and continues to be, a large contributing factor to every decade - the twist and turns of human evolution forever captured with pen and paper.

Like many professions, writers face blocks that make the career path seem challenging. Whether it is through the writing or the publication process, these common obstacles cause many talented writers to shy away from this path and delve into other industries. According to Jeff Goins, the author of ‘The Art of Work’, all authors face the same three obstacles: Fear, lack of time, and lack of focus.

Firstly, fear is the most discernible hurdle. Whether you are a Non-Fiction author ready to take on historical events or a fantasy author with a whole new world in mind, there is that question of writer’s identity: “Are you a real author or are you an aspiring writer?” is how Goins articulates this fear. This sense of anxiety is said to be part of our emergency brake response, in which we have three seconds to make a physical move to complete an idea before our brains convince us to not. Researcher Brené Brown says that this neurological response is quite similar to our fight or flight response when we perceive something dangerous.

Secondly, lack of time is felt by all sorts of career paths, though the way it is felt as an author is different. Whether you are a full-time writer, or you just do it for fun, time will always seem like a dooming deadline. The dread that builds up from the lack of time is composed of our creative mental blocks that seem to pop in when they should not, the abundance of distractions around you, and the unpredictable nature of inspiration. The biggest piece of advice given by Goins is to seize the time that you have and do not hold any regrets when that time is up. “You do not need more time to write. It doesn’t exist. What you do need is to make the most of the time you have” (Goins, 2016).

Then, lack of focus. Any person with creativity may have the bounds to come up with multiple ideas. However, it is an author’s true ability to turn those ideas into new realms of imagination and life that distinguish their talent. It comes with time and experience, as well as the willpower to channel your extra energy into something that can be felt by readers. Start small, take the time to jot down your ideas before your ‘emergency brakes' kick in, and you will slowly start to see the progress of your hard work. Do not give up, even when your piece looks as though it was scrawled by a third grader on the walls of a public school bathroom. Take a minute and refocus, and eventually, you will see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Ultimately, this career path is difficult and tricky. It may stump you and throw unlimited curveballs that make the destination look undesirable. Nevertheless, if being an author is your dream, it is entirely worth it. May you find your focused, productive, and confident path. Happy writing!

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Published March 1, 2021

Written by Fiona Xu ~ Edited by Farah Mourad ~ Graphics by Ian Jiang