Obstacle courses rock

As promised: Tuesday’s post. On Wednesday.

Jessie Sin asked: What do you think are the top five obstacles a writer faces when first getting published?

Well, Jessie, not only will I answer that, but I will also go over the top five obstacles for unagented, unpublished writers and the top five obstacles for agented, but unpublished writers. Ready?

The top five obstacles for unagented, unpublished writers:

1. FEAR My writing is just not good enough! I am going to be stuck sending out query after query, but no agent will want it! But the fear will all go away once I land an agent.
2. TIME There is never enough time in the day to do all the things I want to. It seems there is never enough time to write! But once I gets an agent, I won’t have to spend time querying, so there will be more time to write.
3. SELF-DOUBT Why did I start writing in the first place? It is not like I am any good at it. I should just quit and do something more certain. But once an agent signs me, my confidence will be bolstered, and this won’t be a problem anymore.
4. PROMOTION I read on agents blogs that social networking and blogging and websites and self-promotion help them say yes if they are on the fence. But what am I promoting? This takes so much time and I should be writing! But once I get an agent, she will help me tread this confusing water.
5. SELLING Writing a good query letter is a hard job. There is no way I can describe the wonder that is my novel in only one page. I am a novelist, not a salesman! But, if I can just do it successfully this one time, I can get an agent who will handle these things for me.

The top five obstacles for agented, unpublished writers:

1. FEAR My writing is just not good enough! My agent is going to pitch every editor in New York, but nobody will want my book! But, if someone does take it, this fear will disappear.
2. TIME I already had no time, but now my agent wants me to be working on my next book? And work with her on edits for this one?! But once I land that book deal, I can quit my day job and have more time to write.
3. SELF-DOUBT My agent must have been crazy to sign me. My writing is really no good at all. I should just quit while I am ahead. But if an editor picks the book up, I guess it can’t be that bad.
4. PROMOTION My agent is talking about building my brand and getting it out there. But how do I do that? I am so busy trying to do edits and write new stuff… I can’t take time away to promote myself. Good thing once I get a book deal, my publisher will take care of this.
5. SELLING What?! My agent wants me to write an editor pitch for my novel? And a proposal on top of that? I thought that was her job! Okay, one more time. It will be smooth sailing after this.

The top five obstacles for newly published writers:

1. FEAR Reviews will start showing up online any day now. What if the reviewers aren’t kind? My book will fail before it even gets a chance! But if I make the bestseller list…
2. TIME Wait, so you’re telling me that it is not a good idea to quit my day job just yet? But my editor wants more edits. And now I have a deadline to boot! When am I going to have time to work on the sequel?  But if I make the bestseller list…
3. SELF-DOUBT People are going to hate my book. After all, it is no good. They will buy it, and read it, and discover that I am just a fraud.   But if I make the bestseller list…
4. PROMOTION Whoa, whoa, whoa! My publisher expects me to put myself out there even more and keep promoting my work? Don’t they realize I am just the author? I should be able to sit in the background and let the in-house publicists do their thing. But if I make the bestseller list…
5. SELLING Let me say it one more time: I am a writer, not a salesman! So what if a person is more likely to buy a book from an author they feel some sort of connection with. It is the bookstores’ job to sell these things, not mine! But if I make the bestseller list…

Each writer’s list is probably a bit different. Want to know what your top five obstacles will be when you are newly published? Make a list of the top five obstacles you face now in regards to your writing. Got the list made? Okay…

Your list will be the same once you are published. Getting an agent, getting published, even making the NYT bestseller list will not change who you are. These things are all awesome, but they do not change us. Things we struggle with now will be the same things we will struggle with once we hit these milestones.