5 Common Struggles of First-Time Authors (And What to Do About Them)

Writing a book is one of the most courageous, vulnerable, and creatively demanding things you can do.

And if you’re doing it for the first time? The emotional and mental load can feel overwhelming.

Over the years, I’ve supported hundreds of authors through the messy, magical process of bringing their first book to life—and these are five of the most common struggles I see come up again and again.

If you’re facing one of these, you are not alone. I hope these tips give you a fresh sense of what’s possible and how to move through whatever roadblock you’re facing.

1. Getting Started and Pushing Past Resistance

Resistance shows up in sneaky ways:

• You keep saying you’ll start “soon”… but it never happens.

• You sit down to write and instantly feel tired or distracted.

• You avoid the project, saying you’re too busy.

• You feel frozen by the fear of “doing it wrong.”

• You’ve written 15 versions of the same idea and none feel quite right.

Try this:
Flip your perspective on resistance. See it as a signal that you’re onto something big, not a flaw.

Ask it: “What are you trying to protect me from?” and “What do you need from me right now?”

Making friends with resistance can actually unlock incredible creative energy.

2. Battling Self-Confidence and Doubt

This one is so common—and such a tender place to be. Your mind might be racing with intrusive thoughts like:

• Is this good enough?

• Will anyone care?

• Who am I to write a book?

Self-doubt doesn’t mean you’re not meant to write. It means you’re doing something that matters to you. We get nervous about things that we actually really care about.

Try this:

1. Talk to your inner critic. Let her express her fears—and meet her with compassion.

2. Reconnect to a time when you felt confident. Tap into that version of you. What about that situation made you feel so confident? Where was the confidence coming from? Bring that feeling back into your body now, before you sit down to write.

3. Write a page just for you. No performance, no pressure. Just your honest voice on the page.

3. Actually Finishing the Manuscript

Many writers get stuck in the “start, stop, doubt, restart” cycle.

• You lose momentum.

• You rewrite the first chapter over and over (then edit it constantly!).

• You talk yourself out of the book entirely.

Try this:

• Set tiny, doable writing goals (even 50 words!).

• Create a writing ritual to signal it’s time to begin, like making your favorite tea or lighting a candle. Our brains do well with habit formation if we repeat the same thing as a signal to say, “Now it’s writing time.”

• Join a writing group or hire a coach for support.

• Track your progress with something visual like a sticky note tracking your word count or days checked off on your calendar for when all the times you completed a writing session. Seeing the reminder builds momentum.

4. Hitting a Crossroads Midway through Writing

You’re halfway through your draft and suddenly… it doesn’t feel right.

You may wonder if the book has lost its meaning, or if you’re writing the wrong thing entirely.

• Am I forcing this?

• Should I pivot?

• Is everything I wrote so far now useless?

Try this:

1. Pause. Reflect. What was your original message—and what’s emerging now?

2. Create two paths forward and sit with which feels more alive and aligned. Is one of the ideas a full-body yes? Go with that one.

3. Talk it out with someone who can reflect your clarity back to you.

5. Knowing When to Stop Writing and Start Shaping

You’ve got tons of writing… but when is it enough?

How do you move from creative flow to actually structuring a book?

You might:

• Have 20+ scattered docs and no idea what goes where.

• Keep writing instead of deciding to organize what you have.

• Feel too attached to edit or cut anything.

Try this:

1. Create a “Done for Now” folder to gather your best pieces.

2. Ask yourself if you feel like you have at least 70-80% of the content done. If so, you’re ready to move into the revision phase.

3. Write a 3–5 sentence working summary of your book. Clarity and simplicity is what you’re after here.

4. Ask yourself what you’re really avoiding. Often it’s fear, not logistics or the technical aspects of revising.

5. Hire a developmental book editor to help make sense of what you’ve created.

Ready for Support?

I’m a developmental book editor for non-fiction, memoir, and poetry books, and I offer in-depth manuscript reviews to help authors understand what they’ve created and how it can all come together into a book. I also have incredible editors I can refer you to if you’re a novelist.

I also offer intuitive coaching for writers who want to stay connected to their voice and move through the emotional blocks that come up in the creative process.

Message me if you’re ready to shape your draft into something powerful, purposeful, and that truly feels like you. ✨