The Challenge to Finish

It's easier to start writing a book than to finish one. Why is this?

Motivation is high in the beginning. Thoughts are fresh and we know what we want to say. The idea of creating a novel is exciting.

Major obstacles after the first few chapters can be; an unclear path to how the story develops, writing breaks that interfere with momentum, and doubts in the merit of the work.

Here are a few tricks to getting around these obstacles.

Have a rough outline of your story. It helps to know what's coming next. When you're grounded and you know where you're going, it's easier to write.

A key to keeping momentum is to focus on the next step. If you put all your energy into thoughts about the entire book, the process can be overwhelming. If you concentrate on what you must write next, the task becomes manageable.

As for doubting your work, you must believe in yourself and not be swayed by others. No one can promise you will create a best seller, but I can promise if you believe in yourself and work through the obstacles, you will get to the end of your story. This in itself is something to be proud of.