As an author, you’re not only competing with other books and storytellers, you’re competing with other forms of entertainment, like movies and television. Why should a reader finish your book when there is endless entertainment available to them? Writing a book that readers finish isn’t as easy as people make it out to be.

If you’ve ever looked into how to be a successful author or how to get published, you’ve most likely come across the common writing advice that says ‘persistence pays off’. But I want to offer a slightly different perspective. Persistence is important, but it isn’t the key to building a successful writing career, especially now that the book and publishing markets are completely oversaturated.

I don’t think there’s a single writer out there who hasn’t felt that they don’t have time to write. More things are demanding our time and attention now than ever. Not only that, writing doesn’t usually pay a living wage, meaning the majority of us are doing it as a side hustle. We’re trying to balance full-time work, families and young children along with the pressures of churning out as many books as possible and marketing them. Honestly, it’s a miracle that anyone succeeds at getting a novel out!

Do you have an unrealistic view of your writing ability? It’s completely normal for writers, but it’s important to be aware of because it can cause a lot of pain and blockage along your writing journey. Nurturing a healthy mindset is crucial for a successful writing life. Our beliefs dictate what we do and how we act, so we need to get them aligned with reality.

When I finished writing my first novel, I typed out ‘The End’, patted myself on the back and gleefully sent it out to readers for feedback. It had taken me many years to work up the dedication and willpower to sit down and finish a novel. I was so proud of myself. I thought the hard work was over and I just knew my readers were going to love it. I waited patiently for their feedback, anticipating all the praise that was about to come my way. But instead, what I got back was loads of red lines, including comments about how boring my story was and how unlikeable my main character was.

At some point, every writer deals with feelings of discouragement and burnout. You may even get to a point where you say I don’t want to write anymore. If you’ve lost your writing mojo, don’t panic! I’m going to give you some ideas on how to make writing fun again. Whatever you do, try to rediscover the joy in writing. Because, guess what? Writing is supposed to be fun! It should fill up and replenish your soul. If you feel depleted and drained, you may be doing it wrong. If you’re wondering how to get excited about writing again, here are four things you can try.

Tying your sense of self to your productivity may be affecting your mindset and holding you back from a happy and thriving writing life. Many writers have learned that the more they do or accomplish, the more valuable they are. It could even be what drew them to writing a book in the first place. Writing a novel, after all, is a huge accomplishment.

You’re ready to write a book, but you’re not sure where to start. Or maybe you’re an avid creative writer and you want to level up your story skills. Whatever your reasons, the best thing you can do for your writing life is to invest in continuous learning. When you take the time to understand storytelling at a deep level, writing gets a lot faster and easier. Here are my 10 favorite resources for aspiring authors.